I will always find you, John
by TFALokiwriter
Summary: Dorian thinks he is expendable. He is not. The security officers think they are expendable. They are not. John is.
1. Chapter 1

_"I am expendable, and you are not." Dorian said._

 _John looked at Dorian._

 _"Yes, about that. . . " John said. "Dorian, how long has the identity of John Kennex been around?"_

 _Dorian was propped against the wall lacking an arm._

 _"Seven years."_

 _"No,no,no," John said. "The real John Kennex." Dorian checked his files, again, to see something out of the ordinary. "Remember how you had to delete what you learned from my fitbit?" Dorian nodded. "Dorian, I am expendable, and you are not." He handed the synthetic a gun and then a small object-it was his tracker! "For the safety of everyone, it is best I handle it."_

 _"John." Dorian took the man's shoulder. "How are you alive?_

 _"I am immortal, apparently," John said. "Shake my hand." Dorian took John's hand and took a DNA sample from him. Instead of John Kennex's file, up came the file of John Grimm born 2020 twelve minutes apart from his sister Samantha Grimm. Former medic of the rapid response squad. He noticed the man was showing the characteristics of the known internal pain that would arrive when the detective had bad news. Dorian's grip loosened off from the man's shoulder and his hand let go. "Goodbye, Dorian."_

* * *

Dorian's eyes opened feeling life. He noticed he was in a white gray scenery. There were people around him. He went through his memory. The 23rd chromosone that randomly appeared in the DNA sample he took from his partner. He noticed there were others like him in this room. Where was John? Where was Dorian? They were laid inside their chargers. Each and every one of them looked like Dorian. One of them could be the model who worked as a technician and got to keep a memory of saving someone. A child, no less. He saw men and women in white and gray uniforms with their hands locked behind their backs. He saw a man with a beagle. The others, his model, were not onlined.

"We have recently rebuilt these synthetics and recovered a majority of them from archeological sites," Came a woman's voice. "Vulcans have expressed their interest in having these installed into their Vulcan wards full time on the colony planet Vulcanis." She sounded foreign and he detected she originated somewhere from Russia. It was a cute, innocent accent unlike the ones he had seen in the movies. "We are currently in the process of onlining them."spock

"Mrs Kozetov," Came the man with the beagle. "I have heard of these models. And they are. . ."

"Almost human." Kozetov said.

"They had tendencies to kill themselves." The man with the beagle said.

"Trust me, they are nothing like the models you heard of,Admiral Archer." Kozetov said. "These are the special ones."spock

"M'am," A short man said. "Pardon me, but aren't they considered harmful to humans?"

"That is before we get rid of their programming." Kozetov said.

"You are changing them from police officers to medical officers?" The man with the beagle, admiral Archer,

"It will be a easy transition." Kozetov said.

Dorian realized he was bound by the force of gravity to his charger. Where was he? How did he get here? He went through his last memories of being on the field. He was decommissioned. He remembered seeing half of the precinct attending his decommissioning. To be offlined. They had watched Dorian and John begin a powerful relationship that helped them both. John walking with a bitter past being almost robot. Dorian walking with a unique past being almost human. They worked together because they got along. John's new leg helped them get criminals and mostly, at some times, save John's life. He felt something was attached to the side of his head while listening to the discussion. He could guess some type of tube. Exactly, what was it? And what was it's purpose? Everything had a purpose even drones, chromes, and domes. He remembered seeing Rudy shedding tears.

" _Thank you, Rudy."_ Was the last thing Dorian had said to the technician.

His memories started to slip one by one.

"The last time someone said easy it didn't end that way." Archer said. "Nothing is easy."spock

"We tested it on a DRN model," Kozetov said, as a man came to her side. "Meet; Doctor Lewis DeHail."

"Hello, I am Doctor Lewis DeHail," It was his voice. "Admiral Archer, Admiral Tucker, Admiral O'Hara, Admiral Marcus, Admiral Phlox, Admiral Stien, Admiral Lorn,Admiral Maldonado," Dorian could see a face flash before his eyes. John. It was familiar. And slowly the face began to fade from memory. "Admiral Roddenberry, Admiral Barret, Admiral Tennyson, Admiral Clinton, Admiral Lewiston, Admiral Shatner, and Admiral Nimoy."

 _"Dorian, put your finger in the cup."_

"Doctor DeHail," Kozetov said. "It is nice to see you here."

 _"John, what else do you want me to put my finger into?"_

"It is my honor," DeHail said, with a smile. "Pleased to meet you all."

 _"Give Dorian back. I need him. This investigation needs him."_  
 _-_  
"Hello." They said.

 _"I have always wanted to be a police officer. I can't imagine myself as anything else."_

"Mister DeHail, where do you come from?" Admiral Shatner asked.

 _"Before I was decommissioned, I hoped that someone would be there when I woke up. You are that person,John."_

"Cleveland." DeHail said.

 _"DORIAN!_ "

Then there was nothing, asides to three words in his processor: DRN.

"Cleveland," Nimoy grumbled. "Of course they picked Cleveland. They couldn't pick anything else."

"Relax, Nimoy," Shatner said. "It is the only place known to man that doesn't have a non person of color."

"Cleveland is not the only place in the entire world." Shatner said.

"Miss Kozetov, are they not all from Cleveland?" Nimoy asked. "Because everyone coming from Cleveland is ridiculous."

"You are correct, admiral," Kozetov said. "They come from all over the world."

"Not just Cleveland." Nimoy repeated, with a glare that could kill. It was highly Vulcan like for a human.

"Not just cleveland," Kozetov said, with a smile. "A few of them are from the Republic of Texas."

"Austin, Texas." DeHail said. "I have friends there."

"I bet you do." Archer said, sadly.

"That's uplifting." Roddenberry said. "Even a man from Cleveland can get this far! It's amazing. You don't hear Cleveland people coming to the medical field and going to Vulcan Wards to help sick Vulcans get better."

"True." Tucker said.

"He is a rare kind to come across." Shatner agreed.

DeHail smiled.

"Thank you, Admiral." Dehail said.

"Do you have parents?" Nimoy asked. "What is your father like? And your mother?"

"My parents were dynamic, at best," Dehail said. "My father was a unusual eccentric man and my dad, was, well, even as eccentric as my father." The admirals glanced over to Kozetov in surprise then back to Dehail. "My father taught me how to ride a bike. My dad, on the other hand, encouraged me to join Star Fleet. He died two years ago while I was at the academy due to a hover car accident. My father died of a broken heart two days later."

"Your parents must be proud." Nimoy said.

"My father helped me get small jobs while waiting for the response." Dehail finished.

"Doctor DeHail," Kozetov said. Two well dressed youthful Vulcans with black bowl cut hair appeared. "It appears your shuttle is here."

"Thank you, Miss Kozetov." Dehail said, then he went in the direction of the Vulcans.

Kozetov turned toward the small group.

"Our newest doctor has awaken," Kozetov said. "Follow me."

The group followed the tall woman down the rows of chargers. Dorian's charger let go of the dark, tall man. He was in a white uniform with a silver star fleet insignia. His blue eyes wondered around the room until he saw the group of older men and women. They came to a stop in front of him.

"This is Doctor Geoffrey M'Benga," Kozetov said. Somewhere, deep inside, M'Benga heard the internal scream of "IT'S NOT M'BENGA! IT'S DRN. I AM DORIAN." Which was troubling. His name was Geoffrey M'Benga and he loved to help people. It was what he wanted to do since he was a child. "He has just arrived via pod to our facility." She turned toward him and held a hand out. "Welcome to Star Fleet."


	2. Chapter 2

**. . . 2258. . .**

 **. . . Vulcanis.. .**

"Slap me!" It was a cry from a distant room.

Dorian put down the padd then placed it onto the counter speaking to a well aged vulcanian female with big pair of pointy ears. She was not in a customary dress but she was in a shirt and long puffy pants that widened at the legs. She reminded him of the character Alladdin from the old Disney cartoon movie featuring the voice of Robin Williams. She had short hair with a dark blue vest.

"Miss Pro," Dorian said. "You do not have any problem, we have done many examinations regarding your problem. You have been here for the past three years and nothing has changed."

"But I do have a problem." Pro said.

"Miss Pro, please leave before I call security." Dorian said. "You have Munch House syndrome and you are wasting my time."

He hated doing this but she had been claiming to have everything ranging from bendii's to the plague to anemia and to other sorts of diseases. Vulcans were highly logical beings and she, unlike many Vulcans, assumed she had diseases. In the beginning, M'Benga observed her and used the medical tricorder on the woman. She was a widowed Vulcan. Her mate had died just two months prior to his arrival. Dorian assumed she was doing this because she was lonely. Truth be told he did like the old woman. She reminded him of his grandma Nyong M'Benga. She was a talkative person much like the female vulcan was. He watched the Vulcan close her eyes then reopen them.

"Kaadith." Pro said, giving the Vulcan salute.

"Live long and prosper." Dorian replied then went in the direction of the cry, "Slap me!"

Pro turned away then went past the waiting Vulcans, slowly. Our view followed after Dorian. Dorian entered the quarters of the ailing Vulcan who had their eyes closed. He came over to the side of the Vulcan then delivered a hard slap and listened, "Again." In the beginning he originally was against slapping a Vulcan but his teacher S'Rake had taught him that he must do what the vulcans ask. Few times did he have to pinch them aggressively. Dorian waited, again, "Again!" He slapped the Vulcan again. "Again!" And this time he did it much harder. He was about to slap the Vulcan again when the patient grabbed his wrist.

"That is enough." The Vulcan male said.

Dorian smiled.

"Welcome back, Mr S'Dewild." Dorian said.

S'Dewild let go of the human's wrist.

"That is odd," S'DeWild said. "I do not hear your thoughts."

"I am a rarity." Dorian said.

"How long have I been under?" S'DeWild ASKED.

"From your transitioning operation, at least a week." Dorian said.

"That is pleasing to hear." S'DeWild said.

"Your mate has been in the waiting room for the past week," Dorian said. "May I call him in?"

"He was my supporter from the beginning." S'Dewild said. "You may."

Dorian left the room. Some days there were fragments of memories that had come up. Some days he felt as though he was in the wrong profession. Some days he did not feel human. Some days he felt as though he was different from everyone else. The Vulcan's natures made him feel comfort. He was different from everyone as he suffered insomnia. He had a special designed bed that acted as a coffin. When he didn't have it, he could not sleep. Which lead to insomnia. He had been the target of bullying as a child because of the cha-bed when his parents held slumber parties with the children of family friends. He had seen S'DeWild's mate, T'Cord, and spoken with him earlier. Vulcans operated amongst themselves when it came to internal problems or healed themselves with their strength.

He had designed a life these glimpses of memories made. Two loving partners on the force who were professional on the job. They had a friend who was designed to be perfect in every way. A woman who they reported to, but mostly this John figure did the reporting while Dorian was at the desk working out the case. Dorian turning slightly away from the board when John came down the stairs. John and Dorian usually caused thousands of dollars in damage when it came to high profiled crimes. And the usual cases were cakewalk. John hated MX's. He even kicked one out of his car, once. The two were separated, unfortunately, due to events that even Dorian did not understand.

"Mr Cord." Dorian said, coming to a Vulcan male who was very short compared to most. Rough five foot two. T'Cord looked up in the direction of the doctor. "Your husband is awake."

T'Cord stood up from the chair.

Compared to T'Cord, Dorian was 5'10.

Compared to Dorian, the 'John' in his dream was 6'1.

"It is about time." T'Cord said. "Then again, my husband is usually late when it comes to important matters including seeing his sons going off to the academy."

"I know how that is." Dorian said. "He is waiting for you in room three. I will be signing his discharge padd."

"Live long and prosper, Doctor M'Benga." T'Cord said.

"Live long and prosper." Dorian said. T'Cord went past the man. He went back over to the counter. "Miss Tippleton?" The woman looked back up in the direction of the black man. "Did you get your admission?"

Tippleton shook her head.

"No word yet from the Vulcan Science Academy," Tippleton said. "I am starting to wonder if it is partially because I am part Vulcan, part human."

"I am sure that it isn't because of that." Dorian said. "They probably countless other applicants."

"Mr Spock got the interview and he famously turned them down after they accepted him." Tippleton said. "Perhaps they are afraid of being humiliated again by a hybrid." She had a sigh. "Maybe I just be happy this ward accepted a hybrid."

"Because no one is as brave as this colony ward." Dorian said. There was a series of beeps from the padd alongside his elbow. "Excuse me."

He picked up the padd then gently glided his finger onto it. There was a big light blue box that appeared which read: You have been assigned to the USS Enterprise, that has been recently completed, as a Lieutenant. Simon M'Benga, his other brother, was assigned to the USS Hope as a lieutenant commander. A federation hospital class starship. It was cruising in safe federation space. He didn't feel his heart skipping a beat but what did skip a beat was time itself. His hand that was holding the padd was trembling. It was in big capital letters. It was set to be christined next week but perhaps he can install a spare of his bed into his assigned quarters while waiting for the ship to be christined. He looked up toward Tippleton.

"I have been assigned to the USS Enterprise." Dorian said.

Tippleton's eye shined.

"Four years at a Vulcan Academy hospital and three years of this?" Tippleton said. "I can't believe you are getting this far!" She punched him in the arm. "Our personal sweetheart is going to be in space helping others like Simon."

"Speaking of Simon," Dorian said. "He is preparing to get a promotion this coming week."

"Commander M'Benga." Tippleton said. "I can't wait to hear being told a certain Captain M'Benga taking command of a ship of his own."

"Uh huh, I don't think so." Dorian said. "The safety of the crew would overrule the patients."

"Captain James Bell said that and look where he is." Tippleton said.

"He is being cared by his best crew for the disease known as GSS." Dorian said. "And it's Captain Walter Wallace."

"The one who was court martialed?" Tippleton asked, with a raised slanted eyebrow.

Dorian nodded.

"Bell pulled some strings to put him back onto a starship. " Dorian said.

"Poor man," Tippleton said. "Losing control of his body like that. . ." Dorian had the padd under his arm. "It is cruel."

"It is cruel," Dorian agreed. Simon and M'Benga were close brothers. So close they were welcomed on the first day to Star Fleet. They were each others wing man. And took the fall for one another's stunts. Which is why Dorian is not a Lieutenant Commander. "My brother will be proud." There was a beep from the pad. "Excuse me, I have to check on a patient."

"You go, MB!" Tippleton said, as Dorian went down the hall.


	3. Chapter 3

Dear Simon:

I have been assigned to the USS Enterprise!

Sincerely, Geoffrey.

* * *

Dear brother-who-sends-messages irregulary:

Good for you. Can you please stop messaging me in the middle of the freaking night?

Sincere, Simon

* * *

Dear Simon:

I am excited, way beyond excited, I can't believe it. I still cannot believe I have been assigned to the USS Enterprise. It feels surreal to me. I am unable to believe it is really happening. Living in Uganda, this feels comparingly jarring. I have never served on a starship before. Not being around Constitution starships. Our parents would have been proud. Remember how dad talked about the USS Valiant and how they used to serve on it before becoming tattoo artists? I feel unable to describe what I am feeling. It feels surreal. Whenever I try to explain what I feel it comes out as screeches. Or that is just me. Hearing stories of the NX Enterprise establishing Star Fleet makes this seem that maybe the new ship may experience even more more stranger things than the Valiant, the Hood, the Potemkin, SS Soval, SS Sulin, SS Solhak,SS Sarek, USS Pheonix, USS Farragut, and-okay, I should stop there before I list all the shops in the fleet.

I meant ships!

I am going to Earth in two days after my spare bed is installed into my quarters.

I need to tour her.

* * *

Dear Geoffrey:

Sorry, was just dealing with a more troubling problem which was dealing with a butcher from Earth's history. I mean, similar to our history. Dealing with injured men and women like that? Merely amputating the joints and getting them drunk of all things without a sanitized scenery? She thought she was right but she could have infected the wound and killed the first officer! THE FIRST OFFICER OF ALL PEOPLE. I, just, good god. She needs a prosthetic and I have some nurses working on it to get her back into duty. Now if he were shot into the spine then god knows what the woman would have done. I have met better female doctors in my career. Captain Bliss sent me down to reason with the butcher. I should tell you about my experience on planet side to retrieve the first officer.

 _The tent was not well kept when entering. There was a stench of death. A tall woman in a stained dress was beside the first officer who had her shirt torn through both layers. Gold and black. There was a rag wrapped around the first officer's thigh. The left leg was missing and the pants had been well cut. On the floor there was a disconnected leg on the floor dripping blood. Simon looked up in the direction of the woman wiping sweat off the first officer's forehead. Simon experienced horror, disgust, and utter failure. He could see the blood had gone through the fabric. He could see a steady leak of blood from a corner of the fabric that wasn't tied properly. His eyes widened at the horror. There were other men in the room, at least two of them with amputated legs, aiming guns at his general direction._

 _"You didn't have to do that," Simon said. "Just because he had a bullet in his knee!"_

 _"It was causing him great discomfort." The woman said._

 _"You could have comforted him and not moved him," Simon said. "You could have avoided this entire mess in the first place by respecting our requests and handing him over." He stepped forward. "This is no place for a woman to do that. Your planet can't deal with that type of surgery and neither can you."_

 _"Just because I am a woman doesn't mean I am inferior." The woman said._

 _"It's not about that, it's unnecessary amputations," Simon said. "Using your patients to prevent us from getting our friend, our colleague, and officer is unprofessional and unethical!"_

 _"Unethical is not allowing a woman to do her passion." The woman said._

 _"This is not the place to argue sexism!" Simon shouted. "It's about saving lives."_

 _"I have saved plenty of lives in my methods." The woman said._

 _"And you may have inadventurely just guaranteed this officer to die without being properly treated." Simon stressed. "As an medical officer of the law, that is malpractice and I would arrest you if I was in the right jurisdiction."_

 _"You are no officer," The woman said. "You don't wear the clothes of one."_

 _"So?" Simon said. "Are you arguing a black man can't be a doctor?"_

 _"No-" The woman started to say._

 _"Then step aside and let me help him." Simon said. "He has a fever."_

 _"I have the necessary medicine." The woman said._

 _"You have water and that isn't medicine." Simon said. "Look, she is not human. She is Andorian." The woman looked over toward the Andorian. "And she could die because of your practice."_

 _"I saved her a painful death." The woman said._

 _"Then let me finish what you started," Simon said,looking at her. "From doctor to doctor."_

 _"Fine," The woman said. "But give me credit."_

 _"I swear." Simon said, then she gave the nod toward the men. He came over to the Andorian's side and used a hypospray on the side of her neck then took out his communicator. "M'Benga to Hope." The voice of the captain was reassuring. "I have gotten through to her. Mission accomplished, sir."_

Basically, if you are the chief medical officer of the ship, you must make sure to be reasoning with other doctors alien or human. It is part being an officer of star fleet and a doctor. Because doctors have the same desire to save lives even if they have done bad things. I have made my fair share of enemies and friends but mostly acquaintances with other doctors on alien worlds. Even if no one believes them that they have befriended an alien black man who works in space and is from Uganda. It has been awhile since I heard from Doctor DeHail. Is he supposed to be on the starbase station Vangaurd? I believe he is. Must be busy. I really hope that you find yourself at home on the Enterprise. Also,don't you die on me little bro.

Sincerely, Simon.

* * *

Dear Simon:

I had this unusual dream today.

 _"Dorian!" John called._

 _Dorian ducked a shot._

 _"THROW ME MY GUN!" John shouted._

 _Dorian took out a spare gun from under his pant leg then kicked it over toward John's direction. John's hands were bound by rope. Which was old fashioned unlike the plastic bound version. John fired a shot into the man's right leg. The man fired back into the left shoulder of the synthetic Dorian fired a shot into the hand that was holding the gun. The other gunmen was on the floor dead with eyes staring in the direction of the wall across. Dorian came to John's side then used a knife to free him._

 _"How did you find me with my tracker hacked?" John asked._

 _"I will always find you, John," Dorian said. "Besides, how I found you is beside the point."_

 _"Dorian, remind me not to get you the box set of Galaxy Quest the reboot movie collection." John said._

 _"At which time?" Dorian asked._

 _"Somewhere around November." John said._

 _"John." Dorian said._

 _"Yes?" John said._

 _"I may have bought you the box set of the original Starbeast franchise." Dorian said._

 _"A blonde, beefy woman fighting against seven foot tall beasts with star shaped hosts that impregnant through the mouth of any kind host. The one with John Cameron gave us the best heroine in the history." John said. "I would love to watch that."_

 _Dorian had a sheepish smile._

 _"Actually, I got old cowboy classics." Dorian said._

 _"I love you, Dorian." John said, then took Dorian into a kiss._

 _Dorian reciporcated into the kiss with his right hand traveling down the shoulder of the man and his left hand was on the firm, blocky hip of the detective. He placed alert for the ambulance detecting a injury in the man's rib cage. And the fresh tear in the man's shirt was dripping wet. Dorian ended the kiss backing his head away looking at the man concerned._

 _"John," Dorian said. "How about we kiss when you are better?"_

 _"I feel light." John fell into the man's arms. "You going to be there when I wake up?"_

 _"I will." Dorian said._

 _Dorian held the man into his arms and John fell asleep until the sound of sirens jolted him back to reality. The monotone voice of a MX informing the man that the medics need John. His grip on the man loosened. He looked at the man who seemed to be at peace with himself and with what he was in. He had seen this look on John's face when they were sleeping together. It was only last year that Rudy had insisted Dorian move into John's house and so the trophies had to be moved. All of them, every single one of them, from his youth. The scene around him changed to a pristine, clean hospital room with open curtains and bright light shining through._

 _"The perp has all ready started talking," Paul said. "But I can guess they are going for the insane defense. Because it doesn't make sense at all."_

 _"It is disturbing to be targeted because you resemble someone," Valerie said. "Count our blessings that we didn't lose Kennex."_

 _"Count yours, too." Paul said._

 _"I should have not let John walk away." Dorian said. "I shouldn't have."_

 _"Don't be hard on yourself." Valerie said. "We all make mistakes."_

 _"It makes you human." Dorian noticed that Paul was a balding man. Valerie was a beautiful woman with long, brown hair. Her looks resembled a model. Alongside Paul was a MX that had a stoic, monotone expression on his face. "More human than my partner here."_

 _"Affirmative." MX-43 said._

 _"But not everyone does it twice," Dorian said. "Not after nearly losing their partner to a bomb strapped to their neck."_

 _"You two are special." Valerie said._

 _"You are magnets for attracting danger." MX-43 said._

I awoke afterwards feeling like everything made sense. I don't know why but it did. I felt . . I feel like something is missing. Someone is missing. But who is it? No one is missing in my life. Not a single person. Perhaps I have grown attached to these memories. But it is, sketchy, and it is puzzling. For some reason I feel a connection to Dorian Kennex. I don't know why, but it feels like we may share a life in general. A past life. I have looked up Dorian Kennex. And he looks like me except he is a synthetic. He looks like you, too. I think we are related to him.

Thankfully, Dori-Geoffrey.

* * *

Dear Geoffrey:

I have been experiencing dreams of being a detective. A DRN. I looked up what a DRN is and they are capable of anything. They were created by a man who manufactured a synthetic. And then he made countless others once he got over the wall. You know, the one that President Donald Trump insisted on? That one. It is full of idiots. At least everyone became smarter because of the incident and the idiots became a bit smarter when it came to buying synthetics from a disgraced creator. How many did he make? What was on his mind when he did this? No one will truly know, not even I. It's odd to think we look like the DRN model line. I dreamed of taking a test. I dreamed of seeing others like me sitting and waiting to be called. It was nerve wrecking. Honestly nerve wrecking. At least the great wall was destroyed in 2108. Unlike the Berlin wall, it divided the smart people from the not as smart people. Personally, reading the wall going down overwhelmed me with joy.

By the time you've read this, you are probably seeing the Enterprise.

I have to agree with you, I felt like that person in the dream was me.

But how can we be related to a DRN unless. . . GEOFFREY, WE'RE SYNTHETICS.

[unintengibile wailing, shouting, and screaming]

From, DRN-08.


	4. Chapter 4

Dorian's shuttle was on its way to the Enterprise. He had been anticipating this sight since he had read the assignment notification. He didn't get a chance to read his brother's message. He saw the raw, unchristined Enterprise stationed at Starbase 1. Her large warp nacelles glistening, contrasting against space. Unlike most humans, he didn't have to eat. What he did have to eat was something entirely different. It was rounded objects and all he had to do was swallow them. The shuttle craft came to a stop into the shuttle bay. He came out of the shuttle appearing to be amazed of what he had to see. He partially wondered how Valerie and Paul would react. Paul may be floored and ask if there were any MX's around. Valerie could be awwed by the sheer awesomeness of the scenery. But she was dead. So was he.

Dorian had a good idea there were were twenty-two decks to this ship.

There were Jeffrie tubes scattered about the ship. The floors were light gray and the walls were white. He came to engineering to see the large room with the circular item in the center that contained the dilithium crystals. At the back, there was the hydro pump that was massive with large tubes connecting a mile and going in various directions. Dorian half wondered why they needed a hydro pump installed when they had replicators. It was a impressive feat for humanity. Dorian felt proud to be part of this workforce. He made his way to deck five via turbo lift. He could feel the anticipation building up. He was serving under Doctor Puri. He had heard of the man, scarcely, from his brother Simon. He was excited. He thought about how humanity had reacted upon making their first starship and working in space with a group representative of their civilization. Everyone was created equal. The starship Protector had been a beacon of hope and inspiration. It is what inspired his parents to join Star Fleet and serve in it. It would have inspired Valerie to join. Why did he care about the two detectives?

He came into Sick Bay that was rounded and wide. There were biobeds propped against the light blue walls with curtains attached to the railings that were installed to the wall. The monitors were split into four sections on the same screen. There was one chair alongside the biobeds. There was a desk across from the biobeds. What was the desk needed for? The doctor's office was connected to sick bay, as well Dorian thought of the triangle shaped med bay from the starship Protector. It was amusing how many devices were inspired from the show such as the tricorder which was the scanner, the vox which was the communicator, the laser pistol which was the phaser, and the digital conveyor to the transporter. It then became reality to Dorian that he is going to be serving on this ship in two weeks. Just the realization that this beautiful sick bay is going to be what he is serving in and living in when the doctor is not around. He toured sick bay in its entirety to the surgical room and to the four wards. There was an isolation room connected to sick bay. He heard the sounds of footsteps. He turned away in the direction of Doctor Puri who seemed to be startled at first to see Dorian.

"Doctor M'Benga!" Puri said. He had a white mustache and white hair that was frazzled standing in all directions. Puri resembled Philip Boyce to Dorian. Perhaps they shared a common relative. Dorian dismissed it. "It is good to see you again. I did not expect to see you nearby Earth so soon."

"I am not Simon," Dorian said. "I am Geoffrey." For an odd reason, he wasn't sure of that. "His twin."

"Oh," Puri said. "My bad. What do you think of the girl?"

"She looks fine," Dorian said. "She looks better than the Protector."

"You do realize the Protector was based off a broken racquet in Galaxy Quest?" Puri asked. "Of course, she looks better than that improv. She was built to be a starship."

"I am aware of that," Dorian said. "But still clever."

"I didn't expect you here so soon,M'Benga." Puri admitted.

Dorian laughed.

"M'Benga's are known for being unexpected." Dorian said. "Why are you here so early?"

"Vulcan has been attacked," Puri said. "And we are going in with cadets."

"Cadets?" Dorian said. "What about the other ships?"

"Three starships have been deployed," Puri said. "We will be joining them shortly. Probably not going to be anything devastating. Not like the entire planet is going to be destroyed." A sinking feeling sunk down in Dorian's mind. "We can expect some injuries on this ship. At least your first mission is going to involve helping injured crewmen on the Enterprise."

"We can actually lose a planet?" Dorian asked.

"Highly unlikely." Puri said. "Star Fleet has seen worse."

"Tarsus IV is nothing compared to defending a planet, doctor." Dorian said.

"True," Puri said. "But we never lost a planet due to a attack."

"Only colonies." Dorian said.

"Only a hundred people in most cases." Puri said. "Besides, we got the Armstrong,Hood,Mayflower,Newton, Odssesy,Truman,Wolcott,and Antares dispatched. Going to be like a drill."

"Eight starships for Vulcan?" Dorian said. "Isn't that too much?"

"Eight starships is enough." Puri said. "Prepare yourself for the cadets. I am going to deck five and get some shut eye." He started to turn away from Dorian. "I will be taking a powernap."

Puri left sick bay leaving Dorian standing there, alone. First thing's first, turning on the medical observation screens that showed cadet files. Their files would have been all ready uploaded by the time they arrived onto the starship. Star Fleet was effective with what it did including transitioning and transferring. Dorian had heard they were considering turning uniforms into dresses for gender equality. Everyone was still complaining about the short sleeved dresses. Dorian had a bad feeling about this.


	5. Chapter 5

"Excuse me, pardon me!" Came a familiar voice.

Dorian was looking up the cadets files when he heard that voice. It sounded a lot like John's. A memory returned, this time awaking to see that face with a stubble growing looking back at him with a frown. It had been over two years since being decommissioned. Rudy was by Dorian's side. The man was cute with those hazel eyes. His character was quite appealing to the android. Another memory shot of John dressing up as a woman undercover rather than Valerie because, _"You are a chrome. They will know you are a cop."_

 _"They will know you are a cop because men don't continue dressing up as woman since they can easily transition." Valerie said. "And men pretending to be woman do not usually appear on coin fashion contests."_

 _"It is highly illogical. " MX-43 said. "For a man to dress up as a woman."_

 _"Can't men just dress up as women without being hounded to transition?" Dorian asked. "And some people do it for fun." All eyes landed on the synthetic. "Not that I walk around in the tightest dress I can find."_

 _"Sorry,Val, but I went undercover once as a woman and no one knew I was a man." John replied. "Joan Kennex, the best cross dresser in the world, and the most ugliest one of all."_

 _"John, really?" Valerie asked._

 _"You'll go undercover next time, I swear." John said._

 _"Personally," Dorian said. "I would love to see that."_

 _"Dorian, let's go shopping!" John said, then he walked out of the precinct._

 _"Distract him, please." Valerie said._

 _Dorian nodded._

 _"In what way?" Dorian said._

 _"In any form that makes him not get there in time." Paul said._

 _"Exactly." Valerie said._

 _"Five minutes?" Dorian asked._

 _"Five minutes." Valerie said._

"I can do that." Dorian said, out loud.

 _-0-_

 _"Will you take this man as your lawfully wedded husband?"_

 _"I do."_

 _"As do I."_

 _-0-_

 _"Dorian, get the kid out of here!"_

 _-0-_

 _"I am expendable, and you are not."_

 _-0-_

 _"I was never a child but I know that would terrify one."_

 _-0-_

 _I was never a child?,_ Dorian thought hearing his own voice echo back at him. All this time, the voice of Dorian was the voice of Dr Lazarus. And now, the voice coming from the dream Dorian was his own. He continued checking the medical files as he was able to comb through the memories that were suddenly-

 _"Want to get some noodles, Dorian?"_

 _"'I can't eat."_

 _"Good. Let's go."_

 _-0-_

 _"Remember our first date?" Dorian said._

 _"How could I forget that we spent it in a cargo ship for two days." John said._

 _"Below freezing." Dorian said._

 _"One of these days, I will be the one saving your ass." John said._

 _"John, you have saved me enough." Dorian said._

 _"No, I haven't. You have been saving mine for the past three years." John said._

 _"Three glorious three years." Dorian said._

 _"And Dorian,you haven't added a last name." John said._

 _"I am a almost human, I am still considered property." Dorian reminded him._

 _The look of 'we are married, how can you still be considered property?' came from John._

 _"Dogs get last names." John said. "Cats get last names. Lizards get last names. Birds get last names. Turtles get last names. Bunnies get last names."_

 _"John-" Dorian said._

 _"You can't argue with that logic." John said._

 _"I can't get a last name. It's illegal." Dorian said._

 _"Dorian,so help me god," John said. "I am going to make you be declared a living, sentient being and you are going to have my last name."_

 _-0-_

These were memories, not dreams, Dorian realized.

 _-0-_

 _"This place looks like a king starbeast lair." John said, as they walked into a dark scenery with moon light pouring in._

 _"What if it is?" Dorian asked, his head turned toward the man.._

 _"Shoot to kill anything that moves." John said._

 _"That is oddly comforting." Dorian said._

 _"It is the best comfort we have right now for a rich person's toy android going mad." John said._

 _"I can't believe he made this." Dorian said._

 _"He's an artist." John said_

 _"An android. It's odd to see an android being capable of this." Dorian said._

 _"And you are not?" John asked, looking over with a raised eyebrow._

 _-0-_

 _"Dorian, I am expendable, and you are not."_

 _-0-_

 _"John!"_

 _-0-_

 _"I love you, Dorian."_

 _-0-_

 _"I am sorry, Dorian, for your loss."_

 _"Captain,he is not dead."_

 _"Four liters of blood. He is mostly dead."_

 _"Not to me."_

 _-0-_

 _"Dorian, you are chasing after a ghost." Valerie said._

 _"He is not dead." Dorian said._

 _-0-_

 _"Dorian, I am sorry, they took your charger." Rudy said._

 _"It's not your fault, Rudy." Dorian said._

 _"Are you sure that Detective Kennex is still alive?" Rudy asked._

 _"One hundred percent certain." Dorian said. "I will find him."_

 _-0-_

 _"Hey, Dorian," Paul said. "I am sorry for my MX being a jerk."_

 _"I accept your apology." Dorian said._

 _"'If you see John, can you tell him that I took his trophies and donated them to charity?" Paul asked._

 _"What makes you believe I will see him again?" Dorian asked._

 _"Hope." Paul said._

 _"Detective." Dorian said._

 _"The captain couldn't do anything about. Your disregard for cases has been taking a toll on your performance." Paul said._

 _"John is a missing persons." Dorian said._

 _"You are not part of the missing person's department." Paul said._

 _"I should be." Dorian said_

 _"I grieve for you." Paul said, sadly._

 _-0-_

"Jim!" Came the man's voice again from over his shoulder.

Dorian looked over to see a pitch black cloud dart down the sick bay followed by a familiar man in a blue and blackshirt.

"Doctor M'Benga." Came a woman's voice.

Dorian looked over to see a blonde familiar woman-Samantha. Samantha Grimm. She was a eyewitness in a case that John and Dorian had been part of. Her eyes were a gentle blue and she was in a white dress with a 1960's hair style. She was alongside a darker woman who had hazel eyes and short curly hair that was up in a ponytail. He noticed that she was part Vulcan in nature with slanted eyebrows and pointy ears. This was Nurse T'Spol. He had checked her file to know that she was devoted to healing in the Star Fleet way rather than the Vulcan way. Her sister was on Vulcanis practicing being a healer and was a consult for M'Benga when it came to Vulcanian minds. That was T'Heli.

"Samantha Grimm." Dorian said. "It is nice to see you again."

"I don't know who you are talking about, but this is Christine Chapel," T'Spol said. "A rather colleague of mine."

"You resemble someone I once knew." Dorian said.

"I get that a lot." Samantha said,holding her hand out. Dorian shook her hand. "I didn't expect to come out into space so soon."

"First year?" M'Benga asked as their hands let go.

"Yes," Samantha said. "Where is Doctor Puri?"

"Deck six,taking a power nap." Dorian said.


	6. Chapter 6

Several Vulcan elders made it to sick bay with four humans. Doctor Puri was killed on deck six during the brief attack launched by Nero. Jim was getting his hand repaired by a bone regenerator and a dermal generator by M'Benga. Sarek was beside the woman who was by his side. As it was coincidental, they apparently beamed up a all of Vulcanian children on their Kahs-wan. All at the age of seven. Several sehlats were also accidentally beamed up including a majority of Vulcans engaging in Kolinahr including the Kolinahr master T'Sai herself. They were rough and ragged. The women had their hair curly with dirt all over much like the men. Several Vulcan vessels had departed Vulcan before the red matter destroyed it. They were heading to Vulcanis a nearby colony planet that was bustling at the some around nine thousand five hundred sixty eight Vulcans to ten thousand, Dorian didn't really know the exact number. There was two old men who were comforting the children. The Sehlat's were taken to the zoology department and kept under a force field. It was a pure accident that a huge group over a hundred fifty, or two hundred, Dorian could not be sure, were beamed aboard the Enterprise by accident. In two different transporter rooms they had appeared. Amanda Grayson and the Vulcan Elders with Sarek and Spock appeared in the main transporter room.

One of the old men had a smile that could turn Klingons into understanding, compassionate beings with his hazel understanding eyes and curly graying brown hair. He was a short fellow who preferred to be called the "Space grandpa" to the Vulcan children. The other old man was tall and spoke in a sweet southern tone with grayed hair. He appeared to be somewhere in his late seventies. He was called "Space uncle" by the children. They didn't know if the parents of the young Vulcans had survived or was dead. They had to make sure of that once this entire ordeal was over. Just seventeen minutes to Earth. The Vulcans were sure that going to Earth would be the logical option. They were going to need time to find a new planet to establish their civilization. Eleven thousand Vulcans had survived. And centering their survivors at Earth to gather them up and take them. The southern gentleman was telling a story of being in the wild west and how logical that no one was there. Which was amusing to those Vulcans overhearing it. Some were uncertain that going to Earth would not be an option. They were all confused and disoriented.

The Vulcans in Kolinahr were allowed to group in the mess hall. Including the other adult Vulcans who had been beamed up not part of it. Essentially, some professors, medical professors, and various students were beamed aboard. All with information of their history and belongings that they had been running with heading toward the evacuation shuttles. Not everyone made it. Some Vulcan Botanists had managed to hide their plants in their cloaks, some hid their books in their cloaks, and scrolls were sneaked out of the great library including massive files that were on small pads. T'Pau, fortunately, was on a visit to the Enterprise NX anniversary as was T'Pol, Captain Archer, and most of the original crew still around. She only went because it was "logical". Dorian could not help but feel pity for the potential orphans. They lost their parents. The children were stoic at first when they arrived but they have loosened up.

"Come with us, Mister Samuel, Mr David," Hendroff said. "And the Vulcan children. We have a rec room for you."

"One single rec room?" The space grandpa asked. "Why not the exercise deck?"

"Because that deck is not child proof." The space uncle said.

"Oh, right." The space uncle said.

"Lead us the way, Mister Hendroff." The space uncle said, holding hands with the space grandpa.

"Follow me." Hendroff said.

"Come on, children." The space uncle said, in a gentle voice.

The children tagged after the the two older men in dead silence. Sick Bay was no longer full of. Dorian couldn't find any file on the man on the Enterprise and so, it was reasonable this man was likely smuggled onto the ship by a medical officer. Who was it? The man's calming blue eyes bore back into Dorian's synthetic blue ones.

"I cannot find your medical file on the record." Dorian said. "Who are you?"

"Jim, Jim Kirk," Jim said. "I snuck in."

Dorian raised his eyebrow then lowered it.

"Who helped you?" Dorian asked.

"No one. I helped myself." Jim said.

"I don't believe you," Dorian said. "Listen, I am not going to tell anyone, just give me a hint."

Jim shook his head.

"I cannot do that." Jim said.

"First Officer Kirk, report to the bridge." Came a woman's voice.

Jim smiled.

"You will tell me." Dorian said.

"Over my dead body, doctor." Jim said, as his smile faded. "Bones!"

A familiar man looked up. Dorian saw, he saw how clean shaven he was, how his hair style was still as familiar as his face. John, his soul cried out, John! He took his hand back then allowed for the man to slid off the biobed. Another Vulcan Elder came to with a wound on their hands from the fleeing. Dorian recognized the Vulcan as one he had seen at his time in the Vulcan Hospital Academy. Dorian smiled, while internally doubting if that was a real memory. He remembered working alongside the Vulcans, learning from them, interacting with them, and just how many colleagues had he lost on Vulcan? He made close friendships with them. How many synthetics like him were destroyed by the Narada-How many were still there floating in space barely offline. He had to send a message to Star Fleet. But what about his eating habits? Did he truly eat? It was getting close to having lunch-suppose he should stop taking the pills. That's what he should do. And will do.

Dorian watched Jim and John leave sick bay.


	7. Chapter 7

"Doctor M'Benga, how are the patients?" John said

"They are fine, John." Dorian said.

"Good to hear," John sounded relieved. "This is the worst day I have had since I joined Star FLeet." He shook his head in disappointment. "I doubt that we are going to see our family again. . . Including my daughter."

Dorian was leaned against the desk.

"I didn't catch your name." Dorian said.

"Leonard McCoy." John said.

"I don't know what to say about you using the name of Detective Paul Richard's doctor as an identity,John." Dorian said, as John looked up in the direction the man.

"Did Jim set you up for this?" John asked.

"It has been at least two hundred years," Dorian said. "I should have known that eyewitness, Sandra Bullok was your sister."

John looked at Dorian in shock.

"Dorian?" John's mouth fell slack.

"It's Geoffrey M'Benga," Dorian said. "Now." He leaned away from the desk. "John Kennex died when you arrived on Earth again. You two looked alike, you took the liberty to take his identity. Besides, Leonard McCoy and Geoffrey M'Benga were never married to each other. I think it's best we keep it that way."

Dorian left.

* * *

 _Dorian and John had came into the hospital side by side with one of them covered in bruises and the other appearing to have been recently repaired by Rudy. The hospital was not as tightly packed as it used to be years ago during the administration of lame duck Donald Trump. Hate crimes rose up in the aftermath. America had recovered financially wise and economy wise. coins had to replace the currency of money in the late 2020's after Donald's one term that caused devastating consequences. Devastating enough it required the transition to coin. Paper back and coins were collectors items. Though it was used for rural parts of the country. The pair used the elevator. The doors closed on the two._

 _"John, you still have a cracked rib." Dorian reminded John._

 _"I will get some rest when I see that Paul is okay." John said._

 _"Does it not hurt?" Dorian asked._

 _"Sure, it does," John said. "But not urgent. As long as I can walk."_

 _"After this, I am making sure you are sitting down and you take some pain pills for it." Dorian said._

 _"Not like it hurts." John said._

 _"I am not willing to scan you to make my point."_

 _"Besides, we may have a case in the next hour. My rib can wait." John said._

 _"You are my partner, John, you need to be capable of not hurling around in pain."_

 _"Theoretically, if a immortal received a injury like this," John said. "The pain would be nothing compared to becoming immortal."_

 _"Such as the movie Disaster made in 2005 regarding Space Navy's handling a problem on a Mars space station with a entertainingly female cast," Dorian said. "I am well familiar to that film. And it was an accurate portrayal of just how dangerous attempting to achieve immortality is and unethical it can be. I did enjoy the android characters."_

 _"The scientists were half android." John said._

 _"It is the story that matters," Dorian said. "Jenny Death and her twin brother Samuel Death were twins who were just like a divorced couple." He shuddered. "I still can't believe they made incest relationship that blatant."_

 _"I am glad it didn't get a sequel." John said. "Do you know bloody it would have gotten and how devoid of a plot it would have."_

 _"The horror paranormal films did progressively start not becoming horror paranormal movies." Dorian said._

 _"Mother was a good film." John said._

 _"I agree, that was a unique horror paranormal film." Dorian said. "Should we watch it this Halloween or Hocus Pocus."_

 _"The doll moving around the house was not even paranormal." John said. "No, how about we watch the Carrie Fisher Halloweentown trilogy?"_

 _"Some days I wish that moving around the house doll movie never made." Dorian said. He looked over toward John. "That sounds perfect._

 _"There are days when being human disgusts me." John admitted. "But today is not that day."_

 _Dorian smiled turning his head away as the doors opened._

 _"Good, then we are settled on Halloween." Dorian said._

 _"Actually, good ghouls go bump in the night would be a good way to start Halloween." John said._

 _"I have not heard of that movie." Dorian said._

 _"I will introduce you to everyone's childhood." John said. "After that, the goosebumps."_

 _"Goosebumps?" Dorian asked._

 _"It's a series of novels by R.L Stine." John said. "And a series of movies. The movies started going downhill after R.L Stine passed away."_

 _"When was that?" Dorian asked._

 _"Late 2030's." John said, as they came to a doorway._

 _Alongside the doorway was a man in a white coat filling out a flat screened object. He had grayed brown hair with bags under his eyes. He looked up to see the two men side by side. Dorian had taken the liberty during the ride to call and ask Paul Richard's room number under the ruse that they were family members. MX-43 was sitting alongside his partner in the room reading a old book with yellow pages. Our view returned to the outside of the room where we can see the three men mere feet away from each other. Doctor McCoy smiled, looking up in the direction of John. His eyes were shining at the men as he lowered the pad to his side._

 _"Doctor Leonard McCoy," McCoy said. "You must be the nearby family?"_

 _"No-" Dorian started._

 _"Yes." John said._

 _"We are not-" Dorian began to say._

 _"Second cousin to the left from the nephew, once removed," John said. "This is my husband," He wrapped a hand around the waist of Dorian with ease. "Dorian Kennex."_

 _"Y'all lucky that he survived those bullets," McCoy said. "I never seen anythin' like it in my career." He sighed. "Fortunately, we were able to stabilize him and remove his appendix." John nodded, noticing the ring on the pinkie finger. "Which I was surprised given that most men have them removed."_

 _"He has been busy on the job." John said._

 _"Doctor McCoy, you need to admit yourself," Dorian said. "You are having a heart attack."_

 _"Dorian," John nudged the man's shoulder. "What are you doing."_

 _"Helping him." Dorian said. "You would make the worst doctor."_

 _"The hell I would." John said, in agreement._

 _"I am sorry, what were you sayin'?" McCoy asked._

 _"We were-" John started._

 _"Discussing on how to-" Dorian added._

 _"Approach you with a Pubic Service Announcement-" John continued._

 _"Which is-" Dorian went further._

 _"Have you gone to a heart doctor?" John finished._

 _McCoy cleared his throat._

 _"Well, I am havin' one, am I?" McCoy said. "Been a lon' time since I had it.'_

 _"Affirmative,Doctor." Dorian said._

 _"I have to make some calls." McCoy said, as he started to turn away._

 _"Do you have a DRN here?" Dorian asked._

 _"As a nurse. But he has been quite eerie lately." McCoy said._

 _"I have dispatched him to the nearest corridor to make sure you go." Dorian said._

 _"Oh, you're a synthetic." McCoy said._

 _"I prefer almost human." Dorian said._

 _"Thank you." McCoy said._

 _John took Dorian by the arm as the doctor started to walk away._

 _"He has to know what the perp fell into coming from you." John said. "Look at that, he's asleep."_

 _"Not for long with you around." Dorian said, as the door slid to a close behind them._


	8. Chapter 8

"I am fine, doctor." The space uncle said, with a wave of his hand.

"How old are you again?" Dorian asked.

"One hundred forty-seven." The space uncle said.

"That's my Bones." The space grandpa said, with a beaming smile upon the man with a hand placed on the older man's shoulder.

"And you?" Dorian asked.

"I lost count at one hundred twenty." The space grandpa said, with a shrug.

"I can't believe we got beamed out again." The space uncle grumbled. "Just the two of us and retirement right ahead of us."

"Maybe there's a good reason." The space grandpa said.

"Good reason my ass!" The space uncle said. "I was about done with Star Fleet and it's shenanigans. The new kids should take care of the problems not agin' man who barely looks over a hundred." He rolls an eye. "It's like the universe wanted one last laugh."

Dorian scanned the man once more. It was a merely coincidence that he knew two Leonard McCoys. And that he had seen two men who looked alike but born two hundred years apart. He could be related to the very same McCoy. A hopeful coincidence that made sense and it was logical. It was also the most realistic explanation asides. He could see the bitterness in the man eyes. The space grandfather didn't have that bitterness. There were bags under his eyes. His blue eyes reminded him of Jim Kirk except they were the color of the sea. Earth would have been destroyed if not for the collective effort of the command crew.

"They won't get another last laugh." The space grandpa said.

The space uncle looked over, painfully, in the direction of the space grandpa.

"The universe did. And there is no one here who knows who we are." It was a bitter statement. "Now, in the vastness of space and federation planets, where would you rather go to spend our retirement?"

"That is a tough question." The space grandpa said.

"How about you go to Montana?" Dorian asked.

"Montana?" The space uncle said. "I suppose a new change of environment would help."

"Horses." The space grandpa's cheek became brighter as the smile widened. "Horses."

"What if there's a chance he is here?" The space uncle asked.

"Then we take that chance." The space grandpa said. "And have our happily ever after."

"Your turn." Dorian said, coming over to the space grandpa. He scanned the man noticing his health was at the peak and there was no ailment asides to being shorter than Dorian. They were in strange uniforms that puzzled the doctor without their ranking pins or markings. "You are fine. You can join group twenty-two of the Vulcan professors."

"Thank you." The space grandpa said.

"Have we met before,Doctor?" The space uncle asked.

"Doctor M'Benga," Dorian said. "Geoffrey M'Benga."

"Geoffrey?" The space grandpa said.

"My god, you are so youn'," The space uncle said. "I can't believe you went through Vanguard that fast."

"I did not have an assignment there," Dorian said. "And it was best to be planet side without having practicing Vulcan medicine before."

"Interestin'." The space uncle said. "He has blue eyes."

"Different from the other M'Benga we knew." The space grandpa said.

"God rest his soul." The space uncle said.

"Live long and prosper," The space grandpa said,holding his up and performed the Vulcan salute.

The space uncle slid himself off the biobed with one arm wrapped around the space grandpa. He nearly seemed to lose his balance until the space grandpa's hand traveled to his backside and his other on the man's waist. He took his hand off the man's side where his hand remained to the small of the man's back. He reciporcated the salute to the couple and sent them off. Samantha approached the doctor.

"Doctor M'Benga." Samantha asked.

"Yes?" Dorian replied.

"There's a discrepancy in the files of the two older men who went by." Samantha said.

"What about it?" Dorian asked.

"Well, shouldn't they be younger?" Samantha asked. "Not old."

"What do you mean by that?" He submitted his report and findings by hitting submit.

"The older man was born 2227, and the other was born in 2233." Samantha said.

"And their given names?" Dorian asked

"David Grayson and George Grayson." Samantha said.

"I do not believe Mrs Sarek has two male parents." Dorian said. "Or they could be. . ." His eyes briefly wondered then he looked over toward the woman who had a similar look on her face. "Mister Spock's uncles."

"Mister Spock does not have living uncles." Samantha said. "He would have been in the news lately if he did."

"I don't think he knows it." Dorian said. "Or-" He did a facial match. The face of the younger old man matched George Kirk. The older man's face matched David McCoy. Both eyes matched the eye color of their mothers not the fathers. "I do not believe anyone knows. I should approach Mr Spock with this information. He will find it useful."

"I am sure he will." Samantha nodded.

"Useful information," Dorian remarked to himself. "Maybe it's best not to be known at all."

"Sandra Bollok, or should I say. Samantha Grimm," Dorian said. "I am frankly surprised you are around. The last time I saw you, you were under eye witness protection."

"How do you know that?" Samantha asked.

"I am just giving you a heads up." Dorian went past the concerned woman. "Besides, if there are two immortals walking around then I better not have to clean your mess up a thousand years from now. I don't want to be forced to assemble a clean up crew after this era in humanity is over."

Dorian went past the woman once he put away the padd. Samantha was paralyzed, half wondering to herself if they just made a enemy in the wrong place. Because when they did, it often led them into fleeing or killing someone for the sake of humanity not being destroyed by their own desire to protect themselves. To preserve themselves. She had stopped her research in the 24th chromosome when John had injected it into her after they got out of containment. He trusted her, and she trusted him, together they escaped. Which is where a detective and his partner were splitting ways for the night. John Kennex was attacked by marines. John had managed to escape but they had to split and split good. They didn't expect to see each other again. John had been extremely physical with her and flirty. It is part of being a twin that comes with that territory. Because they were each other's better halves. Two parts of a souls sliced in half to a science.

John came.

"Come on, Christine." John said.

"You told me that they decomissioned him." Samantha said.

"My sources were right." John said. "And Star Fleet probably reactivated him for Vulcan medicine."

"So few doctors majoring in the field of Vulcan medicine?" Samantha asked, coming over to her brother.

"Actually, I think they got a android because an android is able to do everything if you didn't know," John said. "Such as multitask."

"Do you think he is going to have a problem with this?" Samantha said.

"With what?" John asked.

"Your relationship with Jim." Samantha said.

"We are not married anymore." John said. "He, technically, released me from our marriage. It wasn't going to work out anyway, with this current procession in our life. He is going to break down, eventually." Samantha had a 'you didn't end the relationship'. "So there is some good out of it. He won't be around forever."

"John, that's not even a divorce." Samanha said.

"In a way it is." John said.

"That's because you are pretending to be someone else." Samantha said.

"This is me." John said.

"You know the last time you shared your secret with a mortal-" Samantha said,

"I realize that, it was my fault, and I nearly put everyone I cared about in danger," John said. "I regret saving the kid's life with my blood but doing what I did to eliminate him . . . I don't want to do that again."

"But isn't he going to notice that you are not aging?" Samantha said.

"He will, but I will fake my death like I did before." John said.

"Jim isn't like the other men and women we met." Samantha said.

"That's true." John said.

"You are going to have a different plan for that relationship." Samantha said. "Many back up plans."

There was a beat of silence between them.

"I know." John said, as they walked down the hallway side by side.

Their footsteps were heard as we see their shadows trailing behind them on the gray floor. The light started to gain pace as the scenery changed to light yellow but partially brown wooden paneling. We can look up to see Nyota Uhura speaking with Pavel Chekov who was speaking rapidly while in cadet gray wearing a hat. He darted past her. Uhura looked in the direction of Samantha. Samantha blushed seeing the pretty, dark tall woman with her hair up in a curly pony tail. She was not in high heels but in form of dark boots. They came to a stop at the entrance.

"Ready for the next few years of death defyin' angst and survin', Christine?" John asked.

"I spent the last three years with heavy angst on completing the nurse corps." Samantha said.

"Did you hear the assignments?" Nyota asked. "Getting to serve on a Enterprise is. . . It is amazing."

"See you,Christy." He kissed her on the cheek then went in.

Nyota raised her eyebrow and tilted her head.

"He is over friendly with me, Ny." Samantha aid, then held her arm out for the woman.

"That's a very over friendly doctor." Nyota said.

"He has been better." Samantha said, as they headed down the row. It felt like she was at a wedding.

A wedding that will never happen. She would have wanted to convert Nyota but that was a terrible fate to bestow upon a young woman who has just been exposed to space and the dangers of it. She wasn't ready. And she had to have experience before. . . before . . . before . . . before being asked the question. Possibly in the next ten years? Or maybe never. She had friends and family. The Grimm's didn't, save for Joanna McCoy. Samantha wiped a tear off. Walking down a row was always difficult even after two hundred plus years. She had played it safe as had John. But Joann was a happy accident that John treasured over deeply. And it will hurt even more he outlives her. It will hurt the twins, deeply. As it always did with very close friends they outlived. Including love interests. Jim Kirk and Nyota Uhura were no exception.


	9. Chapter 9

Fortunately, for John Grimm, he faced with what many would not want. He was called out in private by a very old Vulcan who had gone and wrinkly and-It was Spock. His hands were locked behind his back. He looked at the man like he was looking at a stranger as was John in the make shift sick bay. He had turned around commenting on, "Hello, Mr Selek, you need a check up before goin' with the new colonization." when he looked up to see an aged version of Commander Spock standing beside the biobed with large pointy ears and a pointy nose. He had more lines than Sarek had. He appeared to be roughly around seventy-three in human years but in Vulcan years he was clear into his hundreds more aged than they should be. Most Vulcans looked this way when they lived with expressing their emotions rather than controlling them in a surpressive manner.

"I, um, em, Leonard McCoy." John said.

"That you are most certainly not." Spock Prime said.

"Yes,I am." John said.

"Leonard McCoy's parents never had hazel eyes." Spock Prime's eyebrow twitched. "I have seen the reunion you had with the captain. And the departure with Christine Chapel. I took the opportunity to look you up." He went over to the biobed. "Are you even a doctor?"

"I went to the university of Mississippi you know." John said.

"As did my McCoy." Spock Prime said. "Did you euthanize David McCoy based on his free will?"

"I had to." John said.

"You must tell Jim." Spock Prime said.

"Me, tell him, that I euthanized my own father?" John said. "I am not ready to talk about that shit!"

"You are not Leonard McCoy." Spock Prime said. "You are, essentially, a quasi-immortal marine by the name John "Reaper" Grimm."

"John Grimm died over a hundred years ago." John denied.

"You will most certainly not enter into a relationship with my counterpart," Spock Prime said. "You are not McCoy. What happened to the real McCoy?" He seemed to be furious, even with the calm demeanor, there was a certain air to him. "He did not die of a childhood disease."

"He died of a air car accident!" John said. "He was at the wrong place at the wrong time."

"Leonard McCoy in a air accident?" Spock Prime asked, in disbelief, sitting down onto the biobed,

"He was my friend!" John said.

"And how do you know this?" Spock Prime asked.

"Because it was my fault. A man died that day." John said. "And a woman too." He came forward. "I am makin' a plan so Jim doesn't find out that doesn't mean we get married. That's just the rough draft of it-wait a second, did you just imply that I hook up with Spock? Are you nuts?"

"Why frankly, I am." Spock Prime said, sarcastically.

"Oh my god, you are insane." John said. "And why bother talking bout that?"

"Because my husbands and I were T'hy'lara." Spock Prime said. "I do not wish to see their counterparts to find you missin' in their bedroom and not a sign of you remained. The link still lingerin', usin' it at every chance, to call you out. And find you. They will find you and you will have to explain yourself if this bond develops."

"It won't." John said, determined.

"Because you have a twin." Spock Prime said.

"Yes." John said.

"It does not work that way. Even if you were born two hundred years ago . . ." John did not seem to be swayed by the elder. "And if you consummate this bond it will become a marriage on full throttle and it can only be broken by a healer," Spock Prime explained. "Then it can recover on its own leading into the darkness."

"That sounds like a rope aimin' at pitch black." John said.

"In many ways it is," Spock Prime said. "If you cherish them, do what you do best."

"Run away?" John said.

Spock Prime appeared to be insulted.

"No, push them together," Spock Prime said. "Logically."

"Watch them grow shorter, grow more wrinkles, their hair turn gray,being happy together being old, and watch them wither away into skeletons of themselves," John said. "I knew many people in my lifetime such as John Morgan, the man who dies and keeps comin' back, and other kind immortal lie people. I have seen lands change. The atmosphere thin out,fade, Florida sink before my eyes, the construction of a new shelf for California so it won't have an San Andreas. I have not spent a entire life around one mortal person in years."

"I advise, that you trick everyone when Jim is sixty and I am sixty three." Spock Prime said. "That you are a ghost. . . . I do not know how you can pull that off but you can still visit them. And your appearances can be knocked off to Jim getting senile."

John wanted to laugh. To cry. To scream. It sounded perfect, actually, better than how his other plans were thawing out in his mind. Then again, this man had been around a lot less longer than he has. His suggestion was quite brilliant. And he has a different perspective on everything, entirely, much as getting Spock and Jim to work together. Jim didn't tell him but McCoy got the message from Jim's body language toward Spock. Jim had a school boy crush on Spock.

"Is that you being nice?" John asked.

"It is the thought that counts, doctor." Spock Prime said. "And if you can't put yourself to tell him. Then I will, if he gets suspicious regarding your little incident."

"Don't!" John said. "Listen, Spock Prime, I don't need another ex-lover being mad at me."

"Ex-lover?" Spock Prime repeated.

"Dorian, aka, Geoffrey M'Benga." John said. "He was my partner in another life. He is a synthetic police officer."

"Was he the black doctor who directed me only by the question of 'John'?" Spock Prime asked.

"Yes." John said. Then he cursed, "God damn it."

"I suppose he knew I wasn't from this timeline at first glance," Spock Prime said. "Your secret is safe with me. . . on my terms."

"Good!" John held his hand out. "Oh." Spock looked down at the man's hand then raised an eyebrow. "Right, Vulcans get personal mind meld links with whoever they touch."

"Precisely." Spock Prime said. "And doctor, it is Ambassador Spock. You may want to start dying your hair sometime in 2270."

"To give off the appearance of agin'. . ." John said. "Why didn't I think of that earlier?"

"You have been busy." Spock Prime said.

"Right, let's get you scanned." John said. John used the medical tricorder to scan the Vulcan. He came off with a healthy check up. "All right, you can leave, Ambassador."

"It would be illogical to give you the salute as you will continue living," Spock Prime said. "Then, I will only say, farewell until the next time we meet."

"Peace." John gave the peace out sign.

Spock Prime had a slight smile on his aged face then came off the biobed then went out the doorway. John turned in the direction of the padd only to hear the scream of, "Spock!" It was voice of two men. The first one sounded loud. And the other was a dramatic rendition of it. John went to the doorway to see two old men had caught the Vulcan into a hug of some sorts. There were puzzled Vulcans looking at the sight. He saw that two of the men were crying. He recognized one to resemble David. That was McCoy Prime. There was Kirk Prime right beside him. Internally, John felt his heart go out for the Vulcan. It was unfair. Just unfair that McCoy too soon. He shouldn't have gone on that trip with Samantha. Leonard and John looked alike so he fit like a glove. He had known the man since he was born. He shouldn't have been there. It was a tragic accident. Leonard was buried on the McCoy plot but he wasn't officially documented as dead. So there was a corpse put in place. David didn't like it but he generally believed John was Leonard. John knew his luck would run out. He was cheated out of living like a human. It was unfair unable to being able to age. To grow old. He didn't realize how significant it was until the families of his former squad began to die one by one and seeing couples die within hours. These three were the lucky ones. They would likely die on the same day. Or hours apart for that matter.

"S'Terpent!" John called. A child's head turned in his direction. "Your turn."

Attention turned away from the couple.

"Yes, doctor." S'Terpent said.

John envied his counterpart; he really did.

Because McCoy Prime could age, and _die_.


	10. Chapter 10

The Enterprise was being repaired and it would take awhile before they returned to space. There were seven DRN's collected by Star Fleet in the space around where Vulcan once remained. All seven of the Dorian's were discovered clutching onto escape pods with their eyes closed due to a side protocol that deactivated them once they hit space. When the pods were opened, they discovered several Vulcans and humans were hidden inside and crammed into together. The pods were apparently deep and big enough for a dozen. It was almost as though the doctors had gone, "Screw it,let's see how many nearby crew I can cram in there!" Not counting the Kelvin pods that were opened up and terrified star fleet personnel were discovered. The captain of the hood was discovered in one of the pods and came out asking if her crew had made it. Some had made it. Not all of them managed to escape. A handfull, perhaps, and the families of the lost crewmen were in mourning.

"Geoffrey M'Benga."

Dorian had his hands in his pockets looking about the building.

"Yes?" He turned to see Admiral Archer. His face brightened up seeing the man walk out of the doorway with his hands locked behind his back. He had gray lines around his face. His once brown hair had turned gray. He was occupied by two fat, ear flopping beagles that looked equally old as he did. "Admiral Archer."

"Nice to see you again," Archer said, once he came to a stop with a warm smile. The dogs sat down by his feet. Dorian noticed that the dog to his right side was Porthos (who had been lost due to a Transwarp show off by Mister Scott) who looked in fine condition. The other beagle had a bow around her neck, who was named Logos. "On more certain terms."

Dorian looked over the man's shoulder then leaned back giving a puzzled expression.

"Where is the woman who brought me back?" Dorian asked.

Archer appeared to be grim.

"She was on the Mayflower attending to a DRN problem." Archer said. "I am sorry that you had to find out this way."

Dorian looked at Archer.

"What about the other Admirals?" Dorian asked. "Nimoy . . Shatner . . . Roddenberry. . . Admiral Barret. Surely they were not on the ships."

"No," Archer said. "The Admirals were not onboard the ships."

"I am happy to hear that." Dorian said.

"They are overseeing other matters." Archer said. "We can't undo what we did to your programming."

"Your machines turned me from a police officer to a medical officer," Dorian said. "Part of me knows being a police officer again would be painful. It's not good to dwell on the past."

"I agree." Archer said, he took out a small padd then held it out for Dorian. "If you ever get bored of this career track and want to go down to entertainment, just call this man." Dorian took the small padd that was in the size of a card. "Two DRN's decided to go down that career."

"Did they personalize their appearances when you met them?" Dorian asked.

"Yes," Archer said. "One of them had long, curly hair. And his face was different."

"I am keeping this face," Dorian said. "Thank you for the suggestion."

"And his voice is different," Archer added. "You might see him in 21st century alien invasion movies in the next two years."

Dorian raised an eyebrow.

"He went that way?" Dorian asked, puzzled.

Archer nodded.

"He just inked a new deal for three movies." Archer said.

"I can't see why a DRN opted to go into alien invasion movies." Dorian said.

"They are so cheesy it is entertaining," Archer said. "My beagles hide under the couch when the explosions go off."

"Ah," Dorian said. "I can see why."

"The other DRN opted to go into musicals." Archer said. "Apparently, they had someone change their programming." Dorian had a smile to himself. "Someone in the black market or something like that."

"They won't tell you who helped them." Dorian said.

"I am pretty sure of that." Archer said.

"Were they survivors of the destruction?" Dorian asked.

"No," Archer said. "They were assigned on the USS Phoenix and USS Potter. Word spread like wildfire."

"Promise me that you won't do what you did to us, again, to any android." Dorian said.

"I can't say for the future." Archer said.

"In the future you can learn to make androids and make themselves," Dorian said. "It starts out for necessity, then it turns into requirement, and then it turns into an era of abusing them."

"We don't stand for that." Archer said.

"Everyone says that, but there will always be abusers." Dorian said. "And I have seen some for myself."

"All right, all right, I promise, Doria-" Archer was cut off by Dorian.

"It's Geoffrey M'Benga." Dorian said. "Please, call me M'Benga."

"Allright, Doctor M'Benga." Archer said. "I promise we don't do that to an android without their permission."

"The sooner you start treating them as humans . . . the more compliant they are." Dorian said. "We are, I mean." He rubbed the back of his neck. "Being an android. . . I still feel . . . like I am a human."

"You are almost human." Archer said. "That's because you are. It is the inside that matters."

"Admiral," Dorian said. "Did you ever come across androids in your time as captain?"

"No," Archer said. "You were the first."

"So the stories were true." Dorian said.

"They are true." Archer said.

"What about the story of coming across a large shuttle craft with a man named William Riker in it?" Dorian asked. "The one where he vanished simply in to his prison cell after forty-eight hours?"

"That is not true." Archer said. "He didn't just vanish. He was taken."

"Taken?" Dorian asked.

"Yes, by a friend, or so he claimed to be," Archer said. "Didn't want us to report what he had said."

"Thank you," Dorian said. "I have been curious about it for a very long time."

"It's not a problem." Archer said. "You are going on leave while the Enterprise is being repaired?"

"I am going to Uganda for a visit and actually experience it,"Dorian said. "Never been there before."

Archer had a fond smile at the mention of Uganda.

"M'Benga, I didn't just call you here for an apology," Archer said. "I want you to know that we are actively trying to find DRN's and find how they are built."

"This time not to lying to them?" Dorian said.

"We are not. This time. . . we are testing them as security officers for a diplomatic mission," Archer said. "Only as a form of protection nothing else."

"That is . . . That is a good use for my siblings." Dorian said. "I think you will find it difficult to discover we are built."

"Doctor, we have a volunteer," Archer said. "You won't like it."

"Who?" Dorian asked.

"Simon M'Benga." Archer said.

His eyes slightly widened.

"Is he prepared to be torn apart?" Dorian asked. "A chance that he. . ."

"We filled him in on the risks." Archer said. "Nimoy told me that was alarming for a DRN wanting to be torn apart for the sake of science." The dogs looked over in the direction of Dorian. "I am sorry. The USS Hope is on its way to Earth at this time. She will get a new chief medical officer."

"I. . ." Dorian was unable to find the words to speak.

There was nothing to say. Other than wanting to grab Simon by the shoulders and ask him what was on his mind. Did he honestly want to do that? To toss his life way? Dorian had read his reply. He hadn't replied to Dorian after that message. If his brother had done what Archer had said then there is a good chance he may have preparations. Why did he want to do that? They were built to help people-oh. That is why. Because being a security officer meant protecting them. Which is what the DRN's were built to do. He started to leak from his eyes. Dorian turned away rubbing the bridge of his nose. His creator had made him as close to human as he could. Dorian wiped the tear off. Dorian straightened himself then turned in the direction of Archer.

"Thank you, Admiral." Dorian said. "I will be there to tell him goodbye."

Dorian went in the opposite direction.

"Come on Porthos and Logos," Archer said, once the DRN had left. They turned away in the direction of the exit. The beagle's barked excitedly following after the man. "Let's go to the vet and see which one of you ate the cheese off my sandwich."


	11. Chapter 11

_"I am sorry, M'Benga."_

Simon didn't really making goodbyes with humans anymore.

 _"If I were you, I would have killed the asshole who did that to me."_

The reactions of his crewmates were satisfactory.

 _"It was an honor serving with you."_

Simon got to punch out a security officer he did not like.

 _"You have been a great colleague in the field, doctor."_

He got to toss out a wine bottle due it to being his last voyage with permission from the captain.

 _"It is a shame you can't stay to become Commander."_

The nurses will miss him the most, Simon figured, including the engineer technicians. They loved to babble when he repaired their hands or toes or anything for that matter wounded by anything relating to engineering. They were grease monkeys that helped the hospital ship stay alive. Some of their stories were entertaining. And they were unique. He had left his memory drive for a friend to make a novel regarding his experience in the sickbay of the USS Hope. And the main relationships that grew because of the hospital starship.

 _"Goodbye, Simon."_ There were many tears in his departure from the USS Hope.

There had been an honor guard as he went down the hall.

 _"As captain of the ship, your family will miss you."_

* * *

Simon was on starbase one when Dorian showed up. Dorian had been waiting, patiently, for Simon. He had been waiting for two hours after his pleasant trip to Uganda. The waiting room was full but the ones who stood out were the two DRN's. Dorian appeared to be hurt, expression-wise, while Simon had nothing in his hands. He had made his farewells to the crew and to the captain. His older brother was standing there in front of the blue chair. From outside the window the USS Hope could be seen. Simon had been informed of a visitor waiting for him before having to be sent down to Earth via shuttle craft.

Simon's face softened as he approached Dorian.

"DRN-167." Simon said. "I am pleased to see you well."

"Geoffrey," Dorian said. "Call me Geoffrey."

"Why would I call someone a name they didn't consent with?" Simon asked.

"Because I like it." Dorian said.

"I found the others," Simon said. "They are going to New Vulcan."

"New Vulcan needs all the help it can get with the clinics and hospitals." Dorian said, as they came to the window.

"You are not going?" Simon asked.

"I have a assignment to see through." Dorian said.

"You were always that kind of person." Simon said.

"I still am. Just because we are androids doesn't mean. . ." Dorian said.

"It means we are expendable." Simon said. "I can't believe you still staying here."

"There's good in them." Dorian said.

"They wouldn't have wiped my memory if they were good." Simon argued back.

"I don't know why they did what they did," Dorian said. "But they probably had a good reason."

"Oh, like the superhumans being made?" Simon asked. "They said there was a good reason for that."

"Not all of them were interested in massacers." Dorian said.

"They were dictators." Simon said. "And they were exiled. Seventy-two humans!"

"Because no one wanted them," Dorian said. "But they wanted us."

"DRN-167,the day will come when they will want you decomissioned," Simon said. "And that day, you will wish you joined me."

Dorian slapped him, knocking Simon the floor.

"That day won't come any time soon." Dorian said. "Goodbye, Simon."

Dorian walked away as Simon looked in the direction of the few people who were there. Janice Rand was among them with her short blue dyed hair and her red uniform that had long sleeves. He stood up, "Just a usual brotherly spat." Their attention turned away from Simon. He heard what he wanted to hear from Star Fleet. They could tear him apart. Because he couldn't stand with what he had become, now, a liar. Lying to himself. And the betrayal from Star Fleet was the worst. It felt he had been manipulated into a profession that wasn't interested in. He was never interested in being a doctor in his time as a synthetic officer. He couldn't look at the uniform the same. Even at the one man who was in a white uniform with the star fleet insignia. He had resigned his commission during the return home. He saw how angry some of the nurses were, how upset, how-they didn't want to lose a friend. The captain had taken the liberty to inform the command crew and the nurses.

"Mr Simon. . ." Janice said. "Are you in cybernetics?"

"No." Simon said. "I am part of it but not in it, yet."

"Good," Janice said. "I have a question about prosthetic. If I lost my foot, what kind of feet are out there in the prosthetics world?"

"There are high heeled, no high heels, and feet with various kind of arches," Simon said. "It is nothing that can be fixed. The toenails, for prosthetic, are engineered to grow like toenails. There are some wiring and cables that are delicate and should not be stubbed. But you have to be sure you got the right foot because there was some arches that can make you be very clumsy."

"Clumsy," Janice said. She gave it a thought. "I didn't think of that. I should do research about it so I know the one to pick."

He looked down to her feet then back up to her face.

"Why were you asking?" Simon asked.

"My friend Kevin Riley told me that people lose legs in space." Janice said.

"I know some people who lose their feet, but not their space feet." Simon said.

"So their space feet is still the same?" Janice said.

"Yes, given that they are adjusted to the new foot." Simon said.

Janice knelt down then took her shoe off to see the arch of her foot.

"I have a low arch," Janice said, then she looked up in the direction of Simon. "That's what I am getting."

"I recommend you add it to your file in case you are not awake to request that when amputation arrives." Simon said.

Janice put her shoe on.

"Yes, Doctor." Janice said.

Simon smiled, briefly at her, then walked away out of the waiting room.


	12. Chapter 12

Samantha Grimm was in the mess hall having a sip of coffee. She needed it, she told herself, but in reality she did it to calm her nerves regarding the new captaincy. James T. Kirk, Captain of the USS Enterprise. She had seen many things happen but this? Seeing someone nothing like a historical fictional figure in history take command of a starship without the necessary experience was a slap to the face. Because someone who had been out in federation space for years should get that role. She was terrified that Jim was going to instigate a Romulan War or Klingon War that meant the end of Star Fleet as she knew it. Except for Samantha and John. She felt someone slide alongside her holding a cup of hot chocolate. She looked over to see Nyota.

"Good morning, Nyota." Samantha said.

"Good morning to you, sugah." Nyota replied with a smile.

"So how was Spock tonight?" Samantha asked.

Nyota lowered her cup to the table.

"I broke up with him." Nyota said.

Samantha raised her eyebrow.

"Why?" Samantha asked. "You two are nerds in love. That's alarming for you."

"I just realized. . ." Nyota said. "It's time to stop pretending."

Samantha took a bite out of her toast.

"Pretending that you are not only adorable in love but madly in love and he didn't want kids?" Samantha asked.

"No." Nyota said. "He is on the bridge. Handling the break up quite well for a hybrid."

Samantha took a bite out of her toast then lowered it onto the plate.

"Are you not feeling well?" Samantha asked.

"It's just. . ." Nyota said. She sighed. "They found her remains."

Samantha felt the blood drain on her face.

"I am so sorry," Samantha said, putting one hand on Nyota's shoulder. "Losing your roommate like that. . ." She cleared her throat. "I may not be an Vulcan but I can give you this: I grieve with thee."

"Thank you." Nyota said. "In her honor, I am going to be honest with myself." She took another sip from her drink. "Christine, I really,really like you. You have been a close friend. The one who has been there thick and through for me in the academy."

It clicked in Samantha's head.

"That's part of being your friend," Samantha said. Nyota is bisexual. "We should give it time."

Nyota took a sip from her drink.

"That sounds wonderful." Nyota said then placed her drink down and reached Samantha in for a hug that was reciprocated.

It was Samantha who ended the hug.

"Welcome to the Lesbian club," Samantha said. "Attended by me and by half of the female crew." She had a small smile that faded. "Did you tell Spock?"

"No." Nyota said. Samantha's smile was replaced by a frown.

"If you are going to remain friends with Spock, he has to know." Samantha said, then she went on to munch on the toast. She took a sip from the coffee as Nyota was considering what she had been told. She swallowed what sip of coffee that she had drank. "And plus, it shows that you still seek a friendship with him and trust him for that."

"We did part on good terms." Nyota said.

"You do want to be his Lek Noy when he gets married, don't you?" Samantha asked.

"Frankly, I do!" Nyota said, taking a stab at her breakfast. "More than you do."

Samantha blushed.

"He is a confident,silent Vulcan," Samantha said. "Who made the Kobyashi maru and is super intelligent." She had a dreamy sigh. "I will be the woman with a fangirl crush on him until the end of time."

"Spock is a man who requires patience." Nyota said, patting on the side of Samantha's shoulder.

"Patience?" Samantha said. "Huh." She sighed. "You should see McCoy when he is trying to catch a fly."

Nyota laughed.

"They are annoying." Nyota said.

"You don't know how annoying mosquitos are until they like your blood." Samantha said.

"Those are a pest." Nyota said.

"Eventually, they get tired." Samantha said. "Asides to the possibility of some immortal mosquitoes."

"Immortal mosquitoes?" Nyota asked. "Oh god, that is terrifying."

"You know, the only thing that would actually kill them is the sun itself exploding." Samantha said, jokingly.

"Imagine two of Risa's sun's exploding." Nyota said.

"That would destroy several star systems." Samantha said.

"But would it not be beautiful?" Nyota asked.

"Breath taking, yes," Samantha said. "But not as breath taking as the double sun set on Risa."

During a double sunset on Risa over the Temtibi lagoon, if one was in the lagoon they would be able to see the beautiful light that reflected off the water. How nicely the sun contrasted against the surface. Samantha had gone there while John stayed on Earth. He didn't feel ready yet to go there. Needless to say, Samantha and her three girlfriends had fun. That was in the late 2220's. She was a excellent hacker, John had claimed to his former partner before the MX before Dorian, when she was needed on a few cases. Samantha had came back with intimate knowledge on the new guns called phasers replacing the phaser pistols in the market and in Star Fleet. The transporter reminded Samantha of The Arch. One that has long been lost and hidden with all intentions. She figured in Wormhole X-Treme that walking to another planet was like walking through water, or, so it seemed on the show. Nyota was taking bites out of her breakfast having a small line of a smile on her face.

"I never been there." Nyota said, after swallowing her bite.

"There is a chance Enterprise will come near Risa." Samantha said. She took a sip from her coffee. "I would like to spend my shore leave with you."

"Sounds spectacular." Nyota said.

"Let's start with having moonnight." Samantha said.

"Moonnights?" Nyota asked.

"I meant movie nights." Samantha said, taking another bite from her breakfast and swallowed it.

Nyota laughed as she stabbed her fork into the egg.

"Being in the academy and focusing on studying made relaxing and sitting back has been a daydream." Nyota said.

"The grueling long hours," Samantha said. "Sitting at a desk under a lamp or on the bed going over the material."

A daydream . . . So was being on Mars with their parents. So was working alongside her colleagues. Studying the bones dug up due to some archeologists in space using their digging equipment. Some days she had a nagging feeling that something was missing. That was her family. Her parents. They should have been alive to find that humanity had came from Mars. Their father would have been so proud of Samantha. She rarely daydreamed but she had exhausted some earth bound careers: novelist, script writer, taxi driver, mechanic, and space pirate. Not counting being a scientist. Samantha had a sigh.

The pain in the ass part about becoming immortal was never being able to forget the past.


	13. Chapter 13

The Ark, unlike the transporter, was discovered in 2026 in Nevada. Part of John was happy that the sands covered the entrance to the entrance. A whole new level of dirt, animal remains, plant, and wildlife. He had visited the site in 2222. Only once before moving to Georgia with his sister. Just to think that before the ark took him to Mars, he was based in one location. Twentynine palms, California, USA at RRTS headquarters. That place had been long converted into a part of a museum in California for the history of LGBTQ. John didn't mind. He was the only one in the world delighted when the news broke regarding the RRTS headquarters. Sarge would have been proud. Comparing the ark chamber to the transporter room: getting sick was common after being transported.

Lucy, the skeleton, with her baby in her arms trying to protect it.

Sometimes nightmares came and went regarding Olduvai but surprisingly, instead of a woman protecting the baby, it was him. And the baby was a little girl who resembled his little girl. His baby, Joanna McCoy. She had 23 chromosomes. She was a bright little girl. Joanna was like a shining star in the dark for John. A star that would finally disappear before his eyes. The thought of it had broken his heart when he held her for the first time. He didn't cry tears of joy. He cried out of bitterness. Some nights he had nightmares that Olduvai reopened and his daughter was right there in the mist of danger surrounded by it and Sarge struck her down-

"Easy, Bones." Jim said, stroking the man's cheek.

John cleared his throat,briefly closing his eyes in relief.

"Just a dream." John said.

"Your nightmares are getting worse lately," Jim said. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"It's the same one," John said. "Nothing different. My fully grown daughter is killed at a archeological site by a monster."

Jim's hands were stroking John's naturally brown hair.

"I am sure she won't die by a archeological site," Jim said. "She will be a doctor like you. She said so herself."

"That's the brightside." John said. I wish I could believe that, John thought.

"You don't tell me at kind of monster kills her," Jim said. "Tell me what it looks like and I make sure it doesn't happen."

John laughed.

"You wouldn't believe me." John said.

"Sometimes you have to face you demons, and occasionally you have to face your nightmares." Jim said.

John's head was in Jim's lap in Jim's room. It had been a week since sent out into space under Jim's command. John remembered Winona's curly hair, her aged appearance, and how good in shape she was for a chief engineer going on forty. Her face was rounder and her eyes had bags under them. She was a moving train-no wait, a bull. Jim was the one who had to make sure his mom didn't start a fight and did not improperly embarrass him. Part of him felt that she was happy that her son found someone to share that smile with. John liked feeling Jim's hands through his hair and placed on the top of his head. He liked listening to Jim's heartbeat on his chest when they slept together. He was a hot mess that was starting to cool down. That much became apparent a few days into the command of the Enterprise. John started to look forward to when Jim got those locks of curly hair. He honestly looked forward to it.

"Well," John said. "Think of the hunchback of notra dame except huge and tall and muscular with a tattoo engraved on his back. Bald, clearly, and ugly lookin' man."

"That doesn't sound scary." Jim said.

"Twice your height, infant." John said.

"That sounds a little scary." Jim said.

"A little? A grown human would fire at that thing until it falls." John said.

"If it can be killed, kill it in your dreams." Jim said,light heartedly.

"With a huge chainsaw." John said. He remembered slaying all those mutated scientists and civilians.

"A gigantic one to equalize his height and figure." Jim said.

John frowned, staring at the ceiling.

"Why does a very pissed off Spock come to mind facing him?" John asked.

"Because he is Spock." Jim said.

"That's not logical." John said.

"He's a trust worthy, loyal efficient man." Jim said.

"You should get to know him better." John said.

"I am planning on that." Jim said.

"And you two will be the best friends across time and space." John said. "No joke. I mean, crossin' a entire galaxy for each other kind of friendship."

There was a distant expression on Jim's face, briefly, as though he were somewhere else. Or someone else. Perhaps, John started to think, he all ready knows what his other life should have been. As much as John was Leonard McCoy and McCoy Prime was walking around then it meant that Leonard McCoy never died. John died. John saw the two old men after clearing T'Serpent. Bags under his eyes. Laughter lines evident. He could still feel the envy. McCoy Prime and John had been introduced to each other by different aliases by Ambassador Spock. He was introduced as John Grimm. Spock had told John that he had to tell the man himself. Whatever Ambassador Spock had done to Jim, the young man's attitude toward the Vulcan had changed full throttle. Jim shook his head snapping himself out of whatever his mind had gone to.

"Bones, that's not a friendship," Jim said. "That's a love story."

"I call friendship." John said.

Jim gave him a beaming smile.

"Let's call a truce." Jim said, then he kissed the man on the mouth. John wrapped one hand around the backside of Jim's neck and the other hand clutched Jim's shoulder. It was Jim who had broken the kiss. "Easy there, tiger."

The communicator on the table beeped.

John reached out for it then slid it open and held it to Jim's mouth.

"Kirk here." Jim said.

"Captain, we have come across a unique . . ." Spock said, but he didn't finish the sentence. Assumingly, Spock was either fascinated with it or at a loss what to call it. John decided to opt with 'at a loss' because Vulcans were, as he heard from Samantha, very capable of pin pointing what to call anything that appeared before their eyes. Holoform, holoprogram, plasma, organic,machine, and so on.

"A unique what, Mr Spock?" Jim asked.

"I cannot exactly explain it." Spock said. "You must come see it for yourself."

"And hostilities?" Jim asked.

"Affirmative, it is currently holding Nurse Chapel hostage." John handed the communicator to Jim then fell off the couch with a loud squeak that sounded like a yelp landing on the floor followed by a thud. They had his sister within the first week of being out in space and he had no idea what they were.

"On my way." Jim said,closing the communicator lid. "Bones-"

"No arguin' with you," John said, putting on his black regulation shirt. "I am goin' up there and see who is threatenin' my head nurse."

"That's my Bones." Jim said, grinning from ear to ear. He tossed the shirt to John. And then he put on a shirt.

"Thank you." John said, then put on the blue shirt. John looked down. "I know I look good in yell-" Jim was all ready out of the room. "How typical." John ran after the man clad in his dark shorts with the long parts of the pants zipped around the knee. "Jim,you are wearin' the wron' shirt!"


	14. Chapter 14

There were beeps coming from consoles as John and Jim entered the bridge. Samantha was sitting on the edge of Nyota's station surrounded by what seemed to be a semi-transparent bracelet like figure with smoke radiating from its pearls. John heard his heart beat against his chest. He made eye contact with Samantha. John was able to see that she was terrified. Terrified out of her mind. Her blue eyes had small pupils. John looked over in the direction of Nyota who was being protected by two security officers in face of this new contact. Today was going to be a eventful day on the Enterprise.

"How long ago did this begin to happen,Mr Spock?" Jim asked.

"Five point three minutes ago." Spock replied.

"Dialeses." The bracelet spoke.

"This is James Tiberius Kirk of the USS Enterprise," Jim said. "And I request you let go."

A second later, Samantha's skin had turned blue and her eyes were dilating.

"Chapel, remain calm," John said, stepping forward. "This is a hallucination." Samantha was terrified as he could hear her voice in his head, I am scared,John. "You are currently in Sick Bay." Trust me, John replied telepathically, putting yourself somewhere else mentally will help your chances of survival. "You are organizing the hyposprays in the cabinet with Nurse Brackett."

"Let her go." Jim said.

"Dialeses." The entity repeated. "Dial'es'is."

"Dial'es'es?" Jim said, John's skin turned pale as he knew what the entity was repeating. "Mister Spock, theory?"

"It is trying to say dialysis." Spock said. "Which it is failing at."

"Purification of blood." John nearly fell to his feet, if not for Jim wrapping his hand around his torso then helped him to his feet.

"Are you okay, Bones?" Jim asked.

"I am fine." John said. "Never seen anythin' like it."

Purifying her blood-But C-24 had cleared his sister. She was a pure angel, their father once said, and so was John as it turned out. Jim let go of the man's torso standing upright, then asked further to the entity, "Ster'e'ids?" The entity glowed as it slowly began to engulf her. The word was repeated, again. Nyota tried to pry further but the security officers prevented that as she appeared to be in despair. John stepped forward closer. He reached his hand out. What kind of purity did the entity want? Samantha's eyes were starting to flutter. She was starting to choke. John made his decision. He had read about an entity like this during a trip to Cuba.

"Don't come after me, Jim." John said. "Mr Spock, keep him back."

"We can negotiate this over." Jim said, as Spock had a grip on the man's shoulder.

"Not everythin' can be negotiated." John said.

"Doctor," Jim started. "I am orderin' you not-"

John lunged forward grabbing onto the bracelet's pearls and then there was a golden flash that engulfed the room sending a shockwave through the ship. Jim landed on his side as Spock was curled around him. There was a brief darkness. Jim could hear his ears ringing. There was no sound. There was brightness everywhere. The grip on his shoulder loosened. Samantha was on the floor unconscious. Spock turned in his direction then appeared to have a brief expression of concern. Bones, Jim thought, Bones. He heard his heart beating against his chest. Nyota came to the woman's side placing one hand on her shoulder trying to wake Samantha up. Spock came over to the captain then helped him up with Jim's hand grabbing onto his forearm.

"What just happened?" Jim asked.

"I believe the doctor has been transported somewhere." Spock said. "Under his own will."

"I get that but what was it made of?" Jim asked. "It . . it. . . it felt like a explosion."

"The chances of it being a explosive entity is 32 point forty-percent likely," Spock said. "If it had been a explosive entity,this bridge would not be standing."

"Why?" Jim asked.

"Oxygen is a highly explosive,Captain." Spock said. "When exposed to the right gas."

Jim turned where John had once been.

"What is the chance that it exploded?" Jim said.

"Sixty-three point seventy-five percent." Spock said.

There was a pause between the two men.

"And Doctor McCoy's chance of survival if it was?" Jim prodded further.

"He would not be alive." Spock said.

"He is Bones, he is alive somewhere." Jim said. "It had just to be the side effects of a transporter."

"A highly unusual transporter." Spock said. "That would make sense for the lack of burn marks."

"I just hope it wasn't a real explosion." Jim said. "Mr Hendroff and Mr Chantley, make sure she gets to sick bay."


	15. Chapter 15

John awoke on his backside experiencing pain in his spinal column. He winced turning over onto his side. He felt glass under his hands. Healing had become slower over the passing centuries. His leg, the prosthetic one, was still working. He had purchase olive oil once in awhile but it wasn't anything major. Jim barely noticed it as John wrote it off as a scar. They didn't sleep together in the same quarters often. He was thankful the leg didn't wake Jim up. What he found more surprising was that his leg wasn't healing even faster and become a leg again. He could feel his leg aching, painfully, more than it usually did. The metal was dug into his muscular tissue, his bone was growing over the metal. His leg was healing slowly over two the span of two hundred years. He had to replace the leg every few years and this year he would have been in the process of adapting to his new leg. But Kobyashi Maru and the Battle of Vulcan happened. God, it stung.

He slid his pant leg up then turned the synthetic leg. It was excruciating painful. He carefully slid it out of his pant leg that slowly flat while laid down on his side. All John knew was that he was somewhere foreign, non-sterile, and damn was it painful. He took a shard of class then began to perform the procedure. He had to do it quick before the skin was covered. He had experience on his side. He saw blood vessels grow back after he cut them. He grabbed a larger glass shard and cut in swiftly with his super strength going through the bone. He was keeping the internal pain to himself. He would scream when it was over. He yanked the prosthetic out then tossed it against the wall. It broke in half landing to the floor with some bone sticking out. He let out a scream in relief. falling to a part of the floor wasn't covered in his blood. He felt that time could pass here.

"Sam."

The image of a terrified Sam staring back at him was the last he had seen her. He was on his backside seeing florescent lights above his head. These lights were flickering off and on. John could see in the florescent lights were black dots. Dead flies. He felt a heavy, dark atmosphere in this room. There were light circles appeared in his eyes from staring into the lights. His eyes briefly opened then closed adjusting to the light. John felt light headed. He was dealing with pain in the manner he had arrived. His hands were still stinging in pain and recovering from the unexpected shock. He could hear the drip drops of water. It had to be a disgusting place.

"Dorian."

Dorian playing a game of ping pong with Kevin Riley. He opened his eyes, still bleeding out. "Jim." Jim smiling back at him. Why did he have to be so god damn lucky to be around these lovable people? Why did he do to deserve that? He was healing, regardless, despite the random setbacks that happened. Those four liters of blood came from getting his arm severed off by a line of bullets and and then his arm regrew within the hour without his leg growing back. He remembered Dorian behind for his own good but this time when John left, he didn't do for the sake of leaving and starting a new life. He did to protect their secret. Samantha would have come back to life and everyone would be curious about that. He felt around for his shirt to feel only his chest. He still wore pants. The inked grim reaper was permanent. Sarge had been there when he first was given the tattoo. It was the same place where Sarge got his nickname tattooed to his backside.

 _"I don't get why you have grim reaper on your arm when it should be me." Jim said._

 _"Because I fight the grim reaper every day when it comes to savin' lives,Jim." John said._

 _"What if grim comes for me?" Jim asked._

 _"I will fight his ass for you." Jim smiled, tracing along the fore arm of John._

He had been intending to call Leonard's Prime counterpart. He had been putting it to the side for the past few weeks to contact McCoy Prime. He still held guilt for ensuring the death of Leonard Horatio McCoy. He came to discover that McCoy was related to the very same McCoy who was Richard's doctor. The family resemblance was still uncanny with the eyebrows. David somewhat resembled the first McCoy. He hadn't seen the McCoy's or heard of them again until the late 2222's. David had a unique resemblance to John himself. The pain in his back slowly started too fade. He had to ask McCoy Prime just what he had to expect. Or what to prepare for that could be life threatening enough to kill. Enough to kill a mortal being. Which he couldn't be killed. He heard the word "dialeses" echo through the room repeating itself. He managed to crawl away from the pool of blood. He managed to get upright on one foot. He hadn't hopped one on foot in quite a long time.

"Hello?" John called, making his way down the hall. "Anyone there?"

"Dia'les'es." Came the voice again.

"Sorry about that," John shouted. "I could not accept your decision."

"Dial'es'es." The voice came, again.

"Jeeze." John said. "Is that the only word you know?"

"Dial'es'es." The voice came, again.

He grunted hopping forward. He came to a doorway that had a 21st century style door. Samantha would have been laughing at this. Jim would have helping John walk. Dorian would make sure if the coast is clear if they were in a dangerous situation. He could hear the sound of beeps. He remembered how robust and wiry David was in his seventies even before contacting Pyrrhoneuritis. He hadn't considered retirement. He was bedridden, lost a third of his weight, and the painkillers did nothing to ease it. David was usually at the clinic working when a patient came in wrecked in pain, screaming, as the panicked Andorian requested for help. That was what John had seen. He came to the edge of the door to see a humanoid being standing there beside a bed with curled horns curling back in a white uniform. There was a similiar being on the biobed except lacking a left eye and ears. The earless one was moving their hands quickly. John recognized some of the sign language. Compared to the one with ears, the earless one was quite ill.

"Hey," John said. The one with ears turned in his directed with oval black eyes. "Mind givin' me some help. The floor felt cold beneath his foot. He shuddered placing one hand on the side of his thigh then looked down to see a white foot on the floor. His leg, it was back, it was back. He looked up in their direction. "Do you need some help getting a blood purification device?"

"Dial'es'es." The one with ears said. John thought, I am calling this guy Earsie. "You are the dial'es'es one."

"Doctor McCoy, preferably." John said, then he rolled down his pant leg.

"You do not look different from the reference." Earsie said.

"Speaking English, how convenient." John said.

"We are speaking in my native language, Doctor." Earsie said. "I am telepathically allowing you to speak it."

"Uhura and Spock would be impressed." John mused to himself.

"I do not wish to see you under control of violent demons." Earsie said.

"The word 'impressed' means to be delighted in my culture." John said. "I really think your bracelet is a terrible way to get help." He approached the two. "Say, where do you keep the spare shirts?"

"The great god of the bracelet charm promised help for our diabolical disease," Earsie said, gesturing to ward a cabinet. "And they have brought us a healer to help save us." John slid the purple shirt, which, surprisingly, was tight. "Where do you come from?"

"Mars." John said.

"Doctor McCoy of Mars?" Earsie repeated. "You have traveled far.'

"I meant Earth!" John said. "McCoy of Earth."

Earsie raised an eyebrow.

"Doctor Mars McCoy of Earth?" Earsie asked. "What kind of civilization are you from?"

"It's Doctor McCoy of Earth," John said. "We are eccentric explorers, apparently."

"Eccentric explorers." Earsie said. "Do you wish to be debriefied?"

"No," John said. "I want this with a fresh mind."

"You are fresh and thus, you need to be debriefed." Earsie said.

"Give me your equivalent to a tricorder and let me help, damn it." John turned toward the patient. "Your lost your voice to this disease?"

Earless nodded.

"Symptoms." John said.

Earless made the motion of puking, scratching along both ear, and checking their fever then took a clump of hair off their head.

"I see." John said, rubbing his chin.

"You mean the scanner?" Earsie asked.

"Yes,-" John paused. "You got a pool of blood out there in the hall. it's mine. And I did it without the environment being sterile." Earsie went over to a square device on the wall. "You think of everything for hospitals."

"Computer, is there pools of blood in the halls?" Earsie asked.

"Negative." The male voice replied. John was baffled.

"But-" John started.

"KKa'ej takes care of everything and can, is capable of making anyone isolated." Earsie said, handing the doctor a square padd. "Your leg was likely returned from where you came." John's mind went to the Enterprise. "This is our scanner."


	16. Chapter 16

Samantha was brought into sick bay by Cupcake and Chantley. Hendorff, aka Henderoff (whose last name was a problem for everyone to spell but easy to say), preferred to be called by the nickname Cupcake. Not that it was given to him by Captain Kirk but mostly because it was quite catchy to everyone around him. Samantha was on the biobed unconscious. She was still breathing. Nurse T'Spol was in the middle of hypoing a sick ensign. The sick ensign had a runny nose. She handed him a kleanex for him to sneeze into. Dorian came in, going through his dark fuzzy hair with one hand while in uniform. He didn't expect to be awaken this early in his power nap.

"Where is Doctor McCoy?" Dorian asked,seeing two security officers stationed by the biobed

Hendorff looked at Dorian.

"He vanished, Doctor," Hendorff said. "It was as though a explosion went off."

"Thank you for bringing Nurse Chapel back," Dorian said. "You are excused."

Chantley and Hendorff walked out of sick bay. Dorian scanned the woman briefly then took a tricorder. Her pulse, from his android perspective, was slow. He detected her wrists were in need of the bone regenerator. She had marks around her neck that were circular with lines between each ball. It was as though she had been wearing a tight necklace around her neck. Samantha was not wearing a necklace the last time he had seen her. In the past week, the only over-do that she did was her hair.

"Nurse T'Spol, please bring the regenerators." Nurse T'Spol came over to the man's side appearing with a stoic mask on her face with a tray.

Dorian had to take care of a patient before revealing to the captain significant information.

* * *

 **. . . Olduvai. . .**

In the Ark Chamber appeared a leg that landed with a loud click. There was an echo that was carried throughout the building. There were rats in the sewers that had been survived the events of two hundred years ago, at least they were their descendants. They had adapted to the scenery. They were covered in scales, lizard like, really, with the long tail and double eyelid. There were yellow streams of light that appeared in the room. They were in red shirts. A familiar figure with pointy ears and dark long shoulder length hair was followed by a equally short man.

"It is clear, admiral." Commander Tulip said, as the eight other security officers lowered their phasers.

"Dear god, look at that skeleton." Tripp said, stepping forward to see it was large one. The spinal column was largely in tact as was the skull which seemed to be largely non human. "It is quite huge."

"That is what you get for mutations." Lieutenant Brice said.

"Very ugly." Ensign Robertson agreed.

Tulip came over to see that there was pieces of a tattered uniform clutched on the remains. There was a small collection of objects in the phalanges that were more larger than they should be. "Miss Honner, come over." The tall woman came over then she was instructed to open the grip. She knelt down to the large skeleton then pried open the hand to see a collection of ID's. The version of it used by Marines in the late 2040's. She looked over toward the Commander with a baffled expression. Tripp went over in the direction of T'Pol.

"What is it,T'Pol?" Tripp asked,by then along the admiral's side.

"This leg was not here before." T'Pol said, standing in front of the severed leg.

Tripp looked down.

"It looks relatively new." Tripp said. Now that he noticed it, that was odd.

"That is the problem," T'Pol said. "We are here to ensure that this environment is safe for a Mars planetary colony."

"Which could mean problems with establishing them if we have a severed prosthetic leg." Tripp said. "I don't think a leg would stay that long or would tissue around the muscle."

"Admiral." Tulip said. "What should we do about the leg?"

"Mr Tulip," Tripp said. "You will destroy it."

"What if it has history regarding this incident?" T'Pol asked.

"Hold on." Tripp said.

"Aye, admiral." Tulip said.

"I doubt that," Tripp said. "This leg is a few years old." He knelt down to the leg then looked at the Caucasian skin and traced along the skin feeling around for something. He felt under the leg. He then stood up with help from T'Pol. "Roughly, three years." He looked over toward her. "Why could it be connected to this place?"

"Because it is here." T'Pol said. "It should be tested."

"I feel like it was left here for a good reason." Tripp said. "You don't leave a old leg unless it, itself, is dangerous as what this creature had been."

"That is quite logical." T'Pol said. "But whose leg is it?"

"Miss Tulip,we will need evidence before we destroy it." Tripp said.

"Aye, admiral," Tulip said. "Franklin, use your tricorder."

"Aye, Commander." Franklin said, then proceeded to take pictures. He was in a blue shirt over black regulation shirt with black plants and black boots unlike the others who were space field blue jackets with red shoulder padds and a zipper that was up for the jacket. These space field attire had been developed in the late 2230's for Kelvin Pods that started out as concepts. It was the beginning of the 2240's that they started to become a reality. Kelvin Pods were built into the refit starships.

"The blood looks recent, admiral." Came an ensign. "I say it has been off for roughly an hour. Look how dead the blood is." T'Pol tilted her head noticing the small pool of blood around the leg. "No doubt whoever lost it is dead."

"Their logic must be clear enough to perform medical surgery on themselves and risk their lives." T'Pol said.

"I bet it was worth it." Tulip said, as Franklin stood up.

"I am done." Franklin said. "I took a picture of the serial number."

"Destroy the leg." Tripp said. "Now let us get the tour finished." He rubbed his shoulders. "It is giving me the chills."

"We talk with the other admirals regarding keeping this facility high restricted," T'Pol said. "Shatner and Nimoy would pounce on it." Tulip turned her phaser on then fired at the leg. "Pike will not need any convincing . . ." The prosthetic leg vanished as did the pool of blood. "The others, I am not sure they will agree. There is a fifty-four percent chance they will argue to pursue what these scientists here started."

"I will take that chance." Tripp said, then they went arm in arm toward the exit.

"And the bodies?" T'Pol said.

"Some of their plots are still around." Tripp said.

"It feels fitting to be the ones who bring them home." T'Pol said.

"I did not expect that." Tulip remarked seeing a hole in the large door.

"It had to come in somehow, sir." Robertson said.

"Admirals, you don't have to come," Tulip said. "We can handle it from here."

"They are soldiers," T'Pol said. "We owe them that respect."

"I want to see it. I have been wondering how children lived in a climate like this," Tripp said. "And I have to come back with my own eyes having to see why no one should step foot in this place again after retrieve the skeletons."

"Understood, Admiral Tucker." Tulip said.


	17. Chapter 17

"Doctor, what is this meeting for?" Jim asked, raising an eyebrow.

Dorian set up the screen using a padd.

"It is about McCoy." Dorian resisted correcting himself and referring to the man as Grimm. "I believe we can find him."

"It is not as though you planted a tracking device into Doctor McCoy." Spock said.

"Did you?" Jim asked, folding his arms.

"McCoy is the kind of man who can lost in a forest and need a GPS tracker on him." Dorian said,

"That is true." Jim agreed.

The screen glowed to life in a gentle blue. It was a large screen attached to two handles with wheels beneath them. Several federation star systems popped up and then there was darkness ahead. The areas of space that had yet to be explored. The neutral zone was a shade of gray. Various circles were filled in color representing what kind of planets they were. Dorian zoomed the visual in. It was right inside deep space. Jim came forward seeing the gentle light blue circle that was fading and glowing. Jim turned in the direction of the doctor.

"When did you add it?" Jim asked.

"During his mandated physical," Dorian said, "I added it when he was not looking."

"Added it to his person without permission," Spock said. "It would be logical to inform of you addition."

"Perhaps we put it on the backburner." Jim said. "Doctor, send the coordinates to the bridge."

"Aye, captain." Dorian said.

The two went on their way. Truth be told, he hadn't thought that it would become useful. He expected it to be lost sometime under James T. Kirk's command before something didn't bode well for the android. Janice Rand entered the conference room with a tray. She place it onto the table when Dorian was still staring at it. She faked a cough drawing his attention toward the blue haired woman.

"Miss Rand." Dorian said.

"Doctor McCoy ordered me to make you eat before you starved yourself." Janice said.

John was pulling his leg, poking fun, right at Dorian's face. He had been poking at him to at least befriend the yeomen because 'one day we might be under control by some space sexist bein' and the ones who might not give a damn about it would be the women'. The eight starships destroyed by the Narada were being busy rebuilt in the San Fransisco space ship yard. The Farragut was the first. Dorian grew a small smile toward the woman then sent the coordinates to the bridge, mostly to Pavel. Hikaru was the one who followed the directions. For some reason, Dorian thought they would make excellent RV buddies on road trips. He lowered the padd to the table noticing how thin she was compared to most women. He could hear a low grumble in the room coming from the woman's stomach.

"You know just as well that I don't have a problem," Dorian said. "You are the one who needs to it."

"No, I don't." Janice said.

"Miss Rand, it is not healthy starving your for the sake of your desire to become thin," Dorian said. "You look excellent." Janice started to grow a blush on her cheeks. "Now, I don't want to be the one who takes you off duty because you didn't eat breakfast."

"If I do?" Rand asked.

"I will make sure you eat dinner,god help me." Dorian said. "As a friend."

"I am not interested in men." Janice said.

"Then we are good." Dorian said. "I don't want to see you on the biobed as my patient."

The last part came out sincerely.

"Aren't you going to eat?" Rand asked.

"I am a synthetic medical officer." Dorian said. "I cannot eat."

"Ooh. . ." Janice said, coming over to the table. She placed the tray on the table. She looked up toward the android. "You and McCoy planned, this, didn't you?"

Dorian shook his head.

"I didn't plan it." Dorian said. "Never was part of it."

"Drats." Rand cursed. "You-"

"I am not leaving until you have eaten on that tray." Dorian said. "You can ignore me."

"But it is creepy being stared at while eating." Janice said.

"You should have thought about that before starving yourself." Dorian said.

"I didn't expect this." Rand nodded.

"Friends have to expect and prepare for anything," Dorian said. "Despite having health down to a science, thoughts about body weight hasn't gone away." He shook his hand. "Starting today, you have a colleague who'll make sure you get your self confidence up."

It was highly convenient that John went missing before Rand had to be approached regarding her health. And couldn't he just approach her, himself? What the hell was John thinking? Was he thinking that he had little experience talking to a girl who was his friend regarding his health? Dorian made a note to himself to inquire John about this when they were going to rewatch aliens vs cowboys on Wednesday.


	18. Chapter 18

Hospitals were tall and clinics were usually one floor on Earth. But hospital,unlike Earth, had unusual designs. There were floors. At any given moment you could be walking the ceiling to another part of the building without being aware. John didn't notice the abrupt differences at first until he looked down and nearly screamed. He noticed the doorways were ride and circular similar to a Aurian's household on the comfortable planet Aura. They were hobbit like not only empath's. He noticed how the halls bended and curled and began and end. At least this applied to the upper floors. There were five floors. The lobby was a area that largely intact as it largely resembled one on Earth.

Gravity was a unique mystery to John on the planet.

"What do you call this planet, Earsie?" John asked, as they were heading to the quarantine ward.

"We call it Earth." Earsie said. "And my name is Doctor La'hep'ick."

"Goat Earth doesn't sound like a good name," John said. "I come from Earth. This is not Earth."

"That is only one of many names we call it." Earsie said.

"Come on, tell me that you know the species name of your civilization." John said.

"Kar'har'ziens." Earsie said.

"Can I just call you Earsie as a nickname?" John asked. "I will write your name up properly on my report."

"As long as that is not the name you will refer to me when it comes to your civilization coming here for you." Earsie said.

"You bet they will." John said.

"Which is highly unlikely as you are not being tracked." Earsie said. "How would you be found?"

"Let's focus on the patients," John said "Tell me where the virus originated."

"It began in the arctic region by famed explorers T'hel'etij and T'ah'leik." Earsie said.

"Is that the equivalent of their names in English?" John asked.

"Yes." Earsie said. "Your name would be Le'eru'ore of the clan Rez-heap."

"Rez-heap, doesn't that mean reaper?" John asked.

"You are catching on quickly,Doctor." Earsie said. "She is the one who collects souls."

Earsie and John came over to a see through window where there were female nurses and male nurses both in dresses. The men looked forward, dressed for the occasion, except for the jewelry and the old fashioned nurse hat they wore on their head. He noticed the male dresses ended above the knees and their figures were outlined by the tight dress. He looked forward to see in beds there were others like Earless. Except a few were lacking their horns. And hey were pale.

"You need to give them desperate rooms instead of keeping them quarantine," John said. "That would help your problem."

"Doctor, who is this stranger?" Twinkle asked. John nicknamed the shorter female speaking to Earsie. Twinkle was a female with a two pairs of horns that merged together right at the forehead and took on the shape of a star twinkling in the night sky with some of the sharp points being smaller than the other three edges.

"Our god brought him here to help," Earsie said. "We must listen to him. This is Doctor McCoy of Earth."

"You do not know our biology." Twinkle said, with her eyes flickering in rage.

"I am a fast learner." John said. "I could have passed my xenobiology class if it wasn't for the attack on Vulcan."

"Vulcan?" Earsie said.

"It's another planet, out there," John said. "Except they can go a too far denying they have emotions."

"Like robots?" Twinkle asked.

"I wouldn't say robot," John said. "Monk like." He turned toward the nurses. "I am a doctor, and this is unethical keepin' them in the same room."

"This is the only way it does not continue." Starry said.

"Mr Earsie." John said, his hands behind his back and stood up on the tips of his toes then back down. "Explain what I told you."

"We can cure them with a device the doctor has shown me in what he refers to as a padd," He held out the flat device to the colleagues. "It is a dialeses machine."

"Dialysis." John corrected.

"If the government is kept out of the loop." Earsie said. "The better."

"What?" John asked. "That is like keepin' the entire population out."

"For the sake of their lives, we are doing so it won't become classified." Earsie said.

"The government can spread these life saving devices," John said. "It's not like there is some political gain in wipin' out half of the population."

"No," Earster, the second male, said once looking up from the padd. "And yes."

"Tell me somethin' good about them." John said..

"Define good." Earster said.

"Something that benefits others," John said. "You can't be here without there bein' good. Your federal government brought you here, with all the latest in tech, and those insane designs."

"It worked the way it was supposed to, for awhile." Starry said.

"A thousand years it did." Earster said. "Sir,-"

"Give them seperate rooms while the device is constructed." Earsie said.

"A thousand years?" John asked. "Why you should have developed this earlier."

"There was no such occasion for it until very recently." Earsie said.

"I find it hard to believe you made it through the dark ages without it." John said. The various nurses left going into the room. "Mr Earsie, tell me everything I need to know about your society. Life saving, life threatening and anything about their attitudes toward alien life."

"That can be arranged." Earsie said with a short lived nod.


	19. Chapter 19

It was Wednesday. They hadn't arrived to the destination, yet. Dorian was sitting in the empty room on the couch watching a buddy cop movie. His shift was over, forcibly, by Nurse T'Spol working with Nurse Chapel. Samantha understood how Dorian was feeling regarding the absence of John. He felt like doing nothing on his free time. He didn't feel like going out. But he really felt like watching a good science fiction buddy cop movie. Having the memories of his past made him, feel, an emotion. Sadness. He hadn't felt that in the years that he supposed were real from Vulcan Academy Hospital. He remembered pulling up all nighters studying for Vulcan classes that ranged from culture, society, and xenobiology. There were various words he were familiar to. Such as hinek meaning bones in Vulcan. Not knowing if someone would come back was different than not knowing if they were alive. John was the kind you wouldn't need to worry about dying. But being kidnapped was a different story.

There was a series of beeps from the door.

"I wonder who that is." Dorian said, then he stood up. "Possibly lieutenant commander Scott requesting me to go out and drink." John and Scotty shared the same restroom. Spock and John's quarters were separated by Jim's quarters. "Which would be highly impossible for me but probable of him."

Dorian came to the door.

"Who is it?" Dorian inquired.

"Scotty!" Scotty said. "Do you want to play poker with the girls and I?"

"I would prefer not to, Scotty." Dorian said. "I am currently engaged on a movie night of Starbeast." Damn it, he just lied. Was he really ashamed of admitting to watching a buddy cop movie alone?

"Starbeast?" Came Scotty's voice. "That horrifying, fantastic series of films with Gwen DeMarco?"

"Affirmative." Dorian said.

"Starbeast sounds better than poker." Scotty said.

"Go play poker with the girls without me." Dorian said, with Scotty starting to protect then he hit the button on the side of the door. There was a hiss of silence from the machine. "Besides, I am would win it." He headed back toward the couch. "Computer, pause the movie. Begin the original prequel to Starbeast in the year 2012."

"Finding movie." The computer replied.

Dorian sat down onto the couch.

"How bad can it be?" Dorian asked himself.

Our scene transitioned to forty-five minutes later with a subtitle beneath. Dorian was vacuuming the floor ignoring the movie. Dorian apparently had regret watching the film and he preferred listening not watching. He made it to his quarters where he vacuumed around the charger. He heard the sound of the door alarm beep. He turned the machine off with a click. He put it into the closet then returned into the living room where he requested the computer pause the movie. The movie was paused into pace. He came to his doorway then pressed the button to let the doors open. Dorian crashed to the floor by a mass of over one hundred eighty pounds give or take. There was Scotty,Keenser, Janice, Samantha, and Nyota.

"Ooops." Janice said, apologetically.

The doors closed behind them.

"I did not expect you to bring the party here." Dorian said.

"No, that's just half of the party," Scotty said. "The other half is recoverin' from a bad way to sober up in sick bay."

"They are fine," Samantha said, as they rolled off the android. "Just need good fashioned sleep."

"With a ice bag." Janice said.

"Are you playing the original Starbeast?" Nyota asked. "It's my favorite horror movie of all time."

"No." Dorian said, as Janice helped him up. "I am watching the prequels."

"The prequels are honestly shitty." Scotty said.

"But the ending." Nyota said. "I can't believe they CGI'ed in the Nostramo."

"The Nostramo was beautiful." Scotty agreed.

"You are not bringing the party here." Dorian said, firmly.

"Too late." Scotty said, gesturing down toward Keenser. "He cooked the popcorn."

Dorian looked down toward Keenser to see the little fella was holding a large over sized green bowl full to the brim with white and golden puffs of popcorn. Dorian knew this wasn't going to get him anywhere good in terms of relationship wise with the crew. He had start casual and human like to the crew. If Dorian were human, he would have put his hands on the side of his hips and had a great sigh at this unfair situation.

"Computer, play Starbeast 1," Dorian said. "Original version by Ryan Scott."

"Yay!" They cheered.

"Come on, Geoffrey." Nyota said, taking his hand as did Samantha taking the other hand.

"Xenomorphs!" Scotty and Janice crashed onto the couch then reorganized themselves.

Keenser sat down onto Scotty's lap. For some reason, an image of Nyota in a light blue science blue with the star fleet insignia crossed his dashboard when she was in a red version of it. The screen changed into space then to the outside scenery of a planet in space. Crossing past the planet. Gentle,intriguing science fiction themed music was playing. The two women sat by Dorian's side. Nyota sat beside Janice. Sam was beside Dorian. Scotty sat alongside Janice with his eyes glued to the screen. Janice hesitantly reached her hand out for a piece. Dorian was looking off into her direction and slowly nodding to her. A smile came onto his face as spooky, dramatic music began to play.

"Computer, lights off." Dorian said.

"Lights have been turned off." The computer said.

"Thanks mother." Scotty jokingly said.

"You are welcome." The computer replied.

That sent chills down Janice's skin as Scotty was looking around wondering if it was built to reply to _that_.

Dorian shook his head while Samantha snickered.


	20. Chapter 20

Not that John agreed with the methods of the government, but it was their intentions were clear to be malevolent. They had to make compromises to get things done with the various other nations around the world. John learned there were other Kar'har'ziens who had different sin color. Black, latino, and other shades of brown. Much like Earth in the late 21st century dealing with its problems. The patients in the quarters were different from the last.

"How does your horns feel,Miss Heli?" John asked, jotting down on the scanner-turned-padd. There was a middle aged Kar'har'zien laid on the bed with graying brown hair on her shoulders. She was in a white hospital gown while partially covered by the blue blanket.

"I cannot feel my horns," C'Heli'iej said. "It felts like I am wearing rock on my head."

"Rock." John jotted down. He looked up to see the rock like substance on her head that was over the woman's hair. "Can your horns grow back?"

"At my age, it would take forty years to grow back." C'Heli'iej said. "Please, take them off."

"I rather have a professional do it." John said. "It feels safe that way."

"All our surgeons are in prison." C'Heli'iej said. "The old fashioned way is just taking the infected horns off by hand under a strong sleep inducing herb." She looked over toward a drawer. "There is some sleeping inducing drugs in here."

"I am not authorized to do that, ma'am." John said. "I am a doctor, not a butcher."

C'Heli'iej smiled back.

"You are a good man, Doctor McCoy of Earth." C'Heli'iej said, taking his hand.

It occurred to John that C'Heli'iej felt cold. Dead cold. He looked up toward the ill woman. She tilted her head at him, appearing to be concerned. He could hear his heartbeat against his chest. Her skin felt hard as a stone. He looked over toward the padd then glided his hand onto it to see the symptoms that was a trademark to the disease. Ears falling off, horns turning into stone, and losing eyes. There was nothing about skin becoming hard as rock. He looked up toward the woman in quite alarm as he started to mouth the words, "Progressing, it's progressing!" He took the padd with him heading down the hallway. He went past Earster who he knocked to the side, "DOCTOR EARSIE!" Earster looked over his shoulder to see the running immortal. He went down the wall, took a turn to the left then went up the stairs.

Earsie was standing alongside a nurse who was alongside a patient who had their arm dangling off the bed groaning in pain.

"There is a new development in this disease." Earsie said.

"Being racketed in pain was never in the previous cases." S'car said.

"EARSIE, IT'S PROGRESSING!" John said.

"Earsie, really?" S'car asked, with a raised eyebrow.

"It's turnin' them into stone," John said. "Now you got to tell me how the bacteria is spread."

"It is not sexual." Earsie said.

"I know that," John said. "Because it would kill the brain first if it were sexually transmitted." He glared the nurse and the doctor. "You haven't told me how it get spread and when I asked, you refuse to give me a answer."

"It is not important." Earsie said.

"It is important regarding the method of treatment. There has to be someway that allows the disease to penetrate the blood and overtake them," John said. "It is not like you don't vaccinate."

"What is vaccinate?" S'car asked.

"Vaccines, or, givin' shots to prevent someone from gettin' sick," John said. "Bronchoitus and the shingles can be deadly if left untreated."

"We do not need vaccinations." Earsie said. "It makes us get disabled."

"Am I hearin' you right?" John asked. "You don't vaccinate."

"Highly unreasonable given our ability to recover." Earsie said. "Herbs, rest, and anesthetic are very helpful." John felt like his world was swirling around him as his fist was growing. "It can be harmful to the development of a child."

"LOOK, HERE, Y'ALL BORN DIFFERENT!" John raised his voice. "I know a civilization born more differently than you are such as the Vulcans. They are born with Aspergers."

"Ass bergers?" Earsie said, in disgust and contempt. "They are not born with bergers with asses."

"See!" John said. "You are so different you could have been turned different by a shot."

"I did not get vaccinated." Earsie denied,in disgust.

S'car stepped away from Earsie.

"Oh really, then I suppose your father wasn't a poly lover and a man who practiced to save all lives even aliens." John said. "And vaccinated himself. That's why you are still alive. Because you've been vacinated."

"I was not." Earsie said.

"Your body carries what defeated the flu for the rest of your natural life." John said.

"I was not aware of it." Earsie said.

"Now, tell me how the fuck does it spread." John said.

"I will not ruin the lives of countless-" Earsie did not get to finish.

"Everyone is wired differently, don't you understand that? They were born that way at birth, and it is not because of getting vaccinated as a toddler." John cut Earsie off. "We had a paper that spoke your beliefs. That paper caused the death of thousands of people. Children, mostly. That man wasn't a doctor. He was a mass murderer and so are you if you don't practice vaccinations."

"It's spread by touch." S'car said. "The incubation period is thirty-one days. I am nurse S'car of the Labyr'inth."

"Nurse!" Earsie said.

"You said he is here to help then let him." S'Car snarled back.

"For those who are still alive, they will need antiobotics," John said. "Do you have those?"

"No." Earsie said.

"Yes." S'car said.

"Nurse!" Earsie said. "He's not part of the faculty."

"He is now." S'Car smacked him on the head using the device where he collapsed to the floor. She looked over toward John where it became apparent that she had a fake eye. "What else do your need?"

"Kick him out of this hospital and get his medical license revoked," John said. "He cannot be a doctor if his perspective on vaccinations is contrary to saving lives no matter their age." A couple of nurses came over. "Get the antibiotics ready!"

"You heard the doctor." S'car said. "And one of you help me get Mister 'Earsie' out of here."


	21. Chapter 21

"Doctor McCoy?" T'Heli'eij said, as John re-entered the room.

John picked up a pair of see through gloves.

"I realized bein' a doctor means doin' thin's I don't like," John said, then he slid one hand into the glove. "And I realized that speakin' to your doctor." John had a small smile at her as he placed his hand in through a glove. "And I know how unfair I was bein' toward you. Which I sincerely apologize for."

"You are forgiven, Doctor McCoy of Earth." T'Heli'ej said.

John came over then took out a needle.

"Say, is there towels in here?" John asked.

"In the cabinet." T'Heli'eij said.

"In the cabinet," John grumbled. "You would think they put them into the bathroom."

"So aliens do have waste utilities?" T'Heli'eij said.

"Yes, we do," John said. "It's universal. You can't live without letting out waste."

"That is a interesting observation." T'Heli'eij said.

"To be honest, I have not met someone unable to poop." John said.

"Because wouldn't that be unhealthy?" T'Heli'eij asked.

John picked up the needle.

"Why of course it would," John said. "Otherwise it would kill someone and that method would be messy."

"Have your kind had anyone die because they hadn't pooped?" T'Heli'eij said.

"Ii am not aware of the worst of the worst cases," John said. "Involving not pooping of course."

"Where is your heart located?" T'Heli'eij asked.

"Right here." He patted onto his chest. "Yours?"

"We are not so different." T'Heli'eij said.

"I agree." John said, feeling around for a soft part on her skin until he came to her neck here it was squishy. "Nurse S'car informed me regarding your horns. Apparently, the cure can't work on that."

"I expected that much." T'Heli'eij said.

"You did?" John asked, with raised eyebrows.

"I read the horror stories regarding someone their horn. And heard of them. Mountain hiking accident." T'Heli'eij said.

"You must have horror stories that are worse than humans." John said.

"Tell me, how severe are your horror stories?" T'Heli'eij said.

"It depends on what kind of horror you mean." He injected it into her neck. He had a series of towels set on the rail. "The kind of losin' fingers, legs, toes, eyes . . part of the brain. . . hair. . . teeth. . . bones." He took the device off the squishy part. "Organs." He looked over to see she was asleep. "I will explain it when you are awake."

He lined the towels around her horns. He yanked the tip off clean. He placed it down onto the table. Next, he took the second tip off. He carefully, forcibly, took off the horns. Instead of bleeding, there was no sign of leakage which was perplexing. He wrapped the towel around her head just for precaution. He placed the horns into the dispenser which was set beside the bed. He took the gloves off then into the trash can that were covered in black color. He picked up the trash bag up then tied it. He used the padd to determine where the waste disposer was. He held the bag in one hand and the padd on the other. He walked out of the room. How was Jim handling this? John had never been this far away before from Jim since the academy. Handling it was likely worrying about John. Compared to people who usually took the captain's chair, Jim was a child. He had experience serving aboard the USS Farragut. He could have served on the USS Republic which was during the attack of Narada dealing with an issue that the USS Hope was involved in regarding Romulan defectors and Romulan birds-of-prey. Jim was like the cutie that had not yet been broken by space. He was like the sun personified except, just except, the major big difference: he was a lil' shit. Not at all innocent. Once he had been a straight arrow but that wasn't the man he was now.

In fact, John wouldn't be surprised if the transporter malfunctioned and turned Jim into a child. Jim wouldn't be able to captain so the duties of captaincy would belong to Spock for the time being, logically, and reasonably. Keeping him from the captain's chair would require distracting him. Given the resources they had on the Enterprise that may as well be the easiest task to do. They had a holodeck installed into the starship. He didn't know if the pointy eared bastard had the heart in him to be understanding when Jim did something very stupid just to get John back. John could remember at one occasion where he was lost in a crowd, so in order to find him, Jim shouted into the intercomn, "HEY BONES, THE KNEE IS CALLED THE PHALANGE'!" John barked back "Damn it, Jim! That is the patella!" when he was studying for the xenobiology class regarding the human body. That was only two years ago. Jim insisted they go on a tractor competition the first year of their budding friendship. It was the second year they began a relationship once they got through major relationship issues of their own. Which was gaining trust and being comfortable with each other. Allowing themselves to open to each other. Not like a smut novel that begins a relationship with a secret kiss that sealed them both. What sealed them both was puking on Jim's boots. What sealed John in, which he figured it was the time, was when Jim was sitting on the bed in his red cadet uniform waving, "Hey Bones! We're roommates!" And he inwardly groaned inside.

He came to the dispensary which required two turns to the left, one turn to the right,two stair cases up, and three turns to the right.

He almost felt dizzy because of how many turns he had to make.

John felt around for his communicator then he took it out, considering: The Enterprise wouldn't be here yet.

Not even close.

It had only been an hour.

Space travel was still as slow but even more faster than it was for Captain Archer and his brave crew.

"He is probably fine." John reassured himself.

"Doctor," Starry's voice came. John turned in her direction. "We must move you to a safe house."

John looked at her quizically.

"Why?" John said.

"If you rather not be poked at by needles then you will follow me." Starry said.

"No question about that!" John said, following after her.

"We sent the schematics and instructions to other nearby hospitals." Starry said. "Under a very encoded network."

"That's good," John said. "I hope you can build enough dialysis to help your people."

"We are very sorry our god had to bring you this way." Starry said. "And antibiotics are quickly working, efficiently, we did not expect that to work." She had a look of relief on her face. "You could have come here under better terms and gone to see our world in it's beauty."

"It's fine." John said.

"I owe you, doctor." Starry said. "We owe you."

"Show me it by bein' the first one to star fleet academy in 2270 if you have established first contact." John said.

"I doubt I would still be a working nurse." Starry said. "And that our kind will establish first contact."

"This is technically first contact." John said. "I am more of an alien then you are."

"You make a good point, Doctor Mccoy of Earth." Starry said, as they went down a flight of stairs. "We have a underground tunnel."

"How do you get patients in gurneys up and down?" John said.

"We have artifical gravity lining the halls and passage ways." Starry said.

"It would be faster if you had elevators." John said.

"Trust us, that is inconvenient." Starry said. "We do not trust elevators."

"Let me guess. . ." John said. "That is a story that will terrify me to my dying day."

"Yes." Starry said.

"Let me tell you about the nightmares I have of the ark and the transporter." John said. "Being split apart two galaxies? That is worse."

"That is worse having one part of the galaxy somewhere else while dying." Starry said.

"Exactly!" John said. "I knew a guy, Pinky, bound by a chair. . . That was a long time ago though." He smiled, handing the woman the padd. "The transporter, however, can scramble your atoms everywhere including your pattern by accident and kill you. Do you know how many ways space can kill you? In the beginning, astronauts came back with bone desnity loss, dementia, and agin' hit them hard. Space is unforgivin'. Space, is where no one can hear you scream. Except if you are in a horror movie then everyone can in fact hear your scream. The whole crew hears it."

"Much like our astronauts." Starry said. "We are still figuring out a way to live in space."

"What year is it for you, by the way?" John asked.

"2018." Starry said.

"2018 and you got all this tech?" John was amazed. "I mean, that is amazing. Professor Who's civilizations look like nothing compared to yours."

"Oh really?" Starry asked.

"Yes, really." John said.

"I would really like to meet this Professor Who." Starry said.

"It's a franchise, I meant." John said. "A fictional one. . . Though people do report seein' some of his regenerations and his TARDIS throughout Earth's history. Or just someone dressed really like him for that matter."


	22. Chapter 22

Jim couldn't sleep that night. He had memories coming to from Spock Prime's mind meld. He could feel the burn of his blood, the heated control by his sexual power, and feeling the need to be one with his mate. He was unable to explain why that was happening. The memory of it persisted. That mind meld had leaked many of Spock Prime's time. He kicked a blanket off and stared at the ceiling. It had been merely hours since McCoy went missing. He had one arm under his pillow. He was naked, completely, in bed. Memories flashed before him of seeing a man similar to McCoy, older though, appearing on the transporter padd in what was high raised pants, hazel eyes, a growing stubble with a jet of gray in the middle, and lines on his face. The man stumbling to the floor with a grumble of, "Who the hell reactivated me? That was one terrible jump in the ark I had." There was a uncanny resemblance. But what stood out to Jim was the graying of the hair. And that the man was in a hawaain shirt.

He saw himself old with McCoy planting in a yard. Jim looked like his grandpa with that rounded face and hazel eyes that his mother had. Jim had been considering whether to buy a ring and go the complete base. Because once you found someone you cared about dearly, then you should put a ring on it. He had been considering it for the past year but then the Narada and the Battle of Vulcan got in the way. And then becoming captaincy. He had to find a balance between his professional life and his personal life so they could co-exist together. Evenly and safely. He had been in the process of reading the crew manifest so they could know the souls he was responsible for. He even made sure some of his academy friends got on aboard the starship including Elizabeth Dehner. Gary Michelle. Just to name a few. He wondered, would he even bring them back alive? He had to. It was his responsibility. Besides, his father would have done the same. Attempt to keep everyone alive.

But what Spock had shown him. . . He was meant to share it with not one but two people in his life. He understood why the universe saw Spock as a potential love interest. But would he? Honestly, would he be able to stand a man who was the head of the tarsus nine? The one boy who made sure they survived clear and through of Kodo's execution of colonists on Tarsus IV. Would Spock be able to understand the way he prefers to eat a lot? It took a better part of a year to get past the Tarsus IV issues with Leonard. His mind went to Leonard. Was he okay? Was he better than okay? Was he still alive? If Leonard died on his watch then he would never forgive himself. Jim understood that Spock was a Vulcan that could be trusted. Someone who would be there, always. Someone who will outlive him and make sure if the doctor is not alone when he is gone. Jim could easily see himself out of the picture in one hundred years. Someone had to make sure that Leonard didn't fall back into the black and go into a self destructive phase.

All the things his other self had done was based off his early years.

Jim's going to base his beginning off what George Kirk would do and build off from there. If Leonard was here, he would be telling the man to stop competing against a dead man. He had to be himself. But what really was James T. Kirk? A poster boy from Star Fleet who was a mess? Of course, he was a hot mess. He just knew what he had to in order to save the crew and lives. Being in space was unpredictable. This was his first mission in space which was to find Leonard and hug him once they were properly alone. Jim admitting how much he missed him. A part of Jim felt as though it was missing. His chest was aching. He closed then opened his eyes. He looked over to see the passing stars through the window. The bed felt empty without Leonard. And he felt so incomplete without him. It was like a hundred years was passing. Jim hated to think what he would do without him. He didn't know what he would do for the man who risked his medical career to get him to the ship. Without McCoy. Earth would have been destroyed and so would the entire universe. It was Leonard who was the hero.

Jim Kirk wasn't the hero.

That was Leonard Horatio McCoy.

Leonard should be the one captaining his own vessel not Jim but-Leonard would tell him otherwise. That his influence had a part in saving the entire universe. Leonard was a better well rounded man than he was. Leonard grounded him and influenced Jim. And Spock . . . Were they meant to meet the panel? A part of him felt that was unlikely since he was a lieutenant commander under Captain Pike out there in space. Who was James TiberiOus Kirk? Was he the son of a man who died saving eight hundred lives and never came out of it? Was he a poster boy? A legend that never came to become a legend? He didn't know if such a thing were possible of a legend not coming up into it's big boots. But he felt that way when Nero made the comment about how he was a great man. So Spock Prime had been right. His father lived to see him take command. His son to make history. And where was McCoy in all this? Not there at the time, likely dealing a colony medical disaster. Spock likely did not attend and preferred to greet the new captain at the bridge which was the highly likely scenario. An image of Spock Prime behind a glass wall in something red,black, and white, and a pair of gloves coming off. A foggy like mirror with a voice that did not sound hell. His fingers set out in the Vulcan salute-Jim got up then got into his green wraparound tunic.

Jim walked out of his quarters then went into the rec room where he found Spock participating in a game of chess with Gary Michelle.

"You are too good to be true." Gary said.

"It is expected from a least experienced player from you." Spock remarked.

Jim went over to the replicator then slid his card down in.

"Hey, Jim!" Gary called. "You should come over and try beating Mr Spock at chess."

"I am the one with some insomnia." Jim said. "Not right now."

"Scared you are going to lose, Kirk?" Gary asked, raising his eyebrow.

Jim took the card out and took the bottle of soda out.

"I am quite certain with the result." Jim said.

"Which is?" Gary said.

"Winning." Jim said.

"I do not believe that would be possible given my record." Spock said.

"It is not like you can beat the computer." Jim said.

"As a matter of fact, I can," Spock said. "The computer is inferior to my intellect."

"Forget what I said." Jim said.

Gary stood up from the chair then came over to Jim.

"Come on, play against him for me." Gary said. "Not like I am going to tell you that Carol got a little surprise for you."

"Carol is still alive?" Frankly Jim looked up.

"Yes," Gary said. "She was in the hospital recovering from the night before."

"I thought she was on the USS Farragut." Jim said, as Gary guided him over to the chair.

Spock reorganized the three layers of the 3-D chess board.

"That she wasn't," Gary said, he had one hand on Jim's shoulder. "Come on, pal, just for old times sake."

Jim sat down into the chair then looked toward Spock.

"You cannot sleep, either?" Jim asked.

"I do feel the need to rest,Captain." Spock said. "But I do not feel it is appropriate as of this time."

Jim nodded, in understanding, toward Spock.

"All right, Mr Spock," Jim said. Gary sat at the neighboring table to watch their game of chess. Jim gently smiled back at the Vulcan even in a state of being tired. "Your move first." He took a sip from his soda and watched the Vulcan reach his hand out toward the black chess piece. "Gary, what kind of surprise does Carol have in store for me?"

"That would ruin the entire meaning of surprise." Gary said. "You do have to call her."


	23. Chapter 23

"Doctor McCoy of Earth?" S'Car said.

It was S'Car, she was head of the safe house. John was checking on the condition of a recently admitted abused woman. She had her wrist wrapped up in white gauze, both of them, in fact. Her blonde curly hair was messy. Her horns were curled upwards the tip with the edges dulled. She had lines under her eyes and a birthmark on the side of her face. She had marks around her neck that were in the shape of hands. Her ears were rounded and pink.

"S'Car." John said, looking away from a frail looking kar'har'zien female with a mop hair style. "I did not expect to see you here."

"I made this safe house," S'Car said.

"You did?" John asked.

"I started it ten years ago in the honor of a patient I not save from her abuser." S'Car said.

"I am sorry for that." John said.

"Don't be. I have saved countless mothers and fathers because of her." S'Car said. "Don't be sad. . . be happy."

"She would be proud of you." John said.

"I assume that to be correct." S'Car said.

"How long did you expect it to be?" John asked.

"Last a month with ten in need of help victims and fallen prey to overwhelming cost." As they came over to a counter.

Jim was probably playing a game of chess with Spock, John assumed. Jim was a rather good player and he usually beat John when it came to it. He was a ridiculously exceptional chess player. The only game that John beat Jim at was a game of laser tag. They went to a laser tag center during their studying for finals to get the edge off. John was usually crowned the victor. Jim tried to figure out how he was so damn good at it. He would come up with ridiculous reasons. Paint ball, soccer, kickball, and hunting. Hunting was not really interesting. Marines, however, did do the equivalent of hunting down except that it came to people not animals. In some ways, these people were like animals. At least the ones they had to eliminate and were threats. The skills of being a marine never went away. Not that he minded, really.

"You sometimes thin's don't go as planned." John said. "For example, falling in love."

"I am pleased to hear that the word love is universal." S'Car said.

"It is," John said,rubbing his chin. He took a glass of some unusual liquid then drank it down. "You know the cruel part of it?"

"Tell me." S'car said.

"I can't reciprocate with the man I love. Because I am goin' to fuckin' outlive him." He took another shot. "We are never goin' to grow old together, die together, and it hurts. It also hurts that I have to say no when he asks me if I want to marry him." He leaned against the counter. "I can't tell him. He will di' and di', and di', and di', and di'. He will search for me if I don't trick him that I died. He will search the galaxy for me if neccessary. He is the kind who will bend anythin' to get the people he loves back. One time I got stuck in a cave in and I was stuck in it." John shook his head. "No, he didn't leave. He didn't leave me when I could get myself out. He tried to get me out and I could have easily faked my death. But I didn't. Too much attention. Layers of rock on top me. He risked his life searchin' for me and callin' for me. Then there was this other time a freak air-car accident occurred and it was a pile up because of a damn solar flare. It was a mess." He sighed. "I have a choice to make him happy. Push him toward someone I have just met or doom him to chasing after me forever. I met a older version of this person and I have seen the older version of the two as loving, happy old men. Or doom them both by tellin' them the truth. I don't want to. It's my secret and I will get the hell out of town before I ruin their lives. I don't want to make them immortal. I love Jim. I do but this is serious business that is life altering and life style changin'. Immortality does thin's to you. And it will hurt them more to see their family dying around them. I don't want them to experience that. So I won't give a chance that they will become violent unrecognizable mutants or immortals."

"What happened in the air car pile up?" S'Car asjed,

"Instead of lettin' the professionals doin' their job, he went in after me and got a lot of cuts. It is fortunate that I didn't have any life threatenin' injury." He took another sip. "Jim's the kind of man who would risk his life to help someone and it will get him killed one of these days. I can just see him dyin' as a old man savin' someones life. Or the lives of many for that matter under one act of defiance. He may be hot headed, reckless, and immature but that's to hide how broken he is inside and how . . ." John sighed. "It is just a mask really. He is the nicest kid who wants to do what is right even if it means bendin' rules. He is not exactly a straight arrow."

"I understand," S'Car said. "You are having difficulties with how you are going to push him away."

"With Jim Kirk, it is never easy." John said. "I got the general idea of how to do it." He waved his hand. "But doin' it is. . ."

"Cruel." S'Car said. John nodded then took a sip.

"For doing to someone you love." John said. He looked at her with pleading eyes. "You understand, right?"

"I understand, Doctor McCoy," S'Car said. "I will keep your secret."

"Thank you." John said.

"But do tell me how you know how to put together a dialysis machine." S'Car said.

"I took one apart in Mexico in my spare time and my sister helped me put it back together." John said. "We had to put the dialysis back together again when it didn't work after we tested it on a patient. That took a while but we did save him afterwards with time to spare to get burritos."

"So there is still a Mexico." S'Car said.

"Still as culturally rich. And the dancing is everything to be amazed." John said. "Mexico is still known for its music on your world, isn't it?"

S'Car grew a wide smile on her aged face.

"Yes." S'Car said. "I have videos of our Mexico. I can show you them if you like. It's on Tou'hube."


	24. Chapter 24

"Doctor McCoy of Earth, would you like to get some rest?"

John was attending to a child when his tired eyes looked up toward Ko'vu Cle'patrea. A well, put kept Ker'her'zien. His horns were put together into a curl like a goat. He had a mustache, however, and appeared to be twenty years older than Jim with dark hair that appeared to be shiny. His green eyes stared back into the older human. John had involved himself into the care of the patients since being dispatched into the safe house. His had thick eyebrows. To be frank, he looked like one of the security officers on the Enterprise but without the horns and oval shaped eyes.

"No." John said.

"You cannot stay up for this long without acquiring rest." Ko'vu said.

John raised his eyebrow back at the ker'her'zien.

"You are an expert in my biology?" John said.

"Your appearance says you cannot stay up for thirteen hours without rest." Ko'vu said.

"Okay, Sherlock," John said. "How long have you been watchin' me?"

"I do not stalk." Ko'vu said. "I just observe. I am the security officer." He gestured toward the pistol in the sheath that was wrapped around his waist. "It is part of the job." He put his hands together. "And we need a skilled medical professional functionally able to do his job. Besides, your ride will be here tomorrow. Possibly. Maybe. Or so you say."

"I am certain of it." John said. "One more hour." He held his index finger up. "Just because S'Car tagged you on me based on her concern of my health does not mean I should not continue."

"She did not sic me to you." Ko'vu said.

"Uh huh." John said, not convinced.

"I am only doing my faithful duty of making sure the professionals around here can help when they care capable. I have seen some professionak's lack of sleep be fatal to their patients." Ko'vu said. He raised his eyebrow back. "Convinced?"

John yawned.

"One more, and then lights out." John saaid.

"I will call in our medical professional who is on night-shift." Ko'vu said.

"All right, Ko'vu." John said.

Ko'vu left John.

"Doctor," The child said. John looked over toward the child with one horn remaining. He wrapped around what remained of the horn some gauze. The horn showed some musclular tissue, nerves, and dried blood. The horn had to be kept preserved from getting infected. "What are you?"

"A human." John said. "Why did your parent hurt you?"

"I was a carrier to the Horn Degrading Virus," The child said. "I did not get infected as my father had." The child briefly closed their eyes. "My mother is as violent as she is usually." The child looked down in the direction of her hands. "The only times she hurts me is when I do something wrong."

"And how often is that?" John said.

"Occasionally." The child said.

"Define occasionally." John requested.

"Uhhhh. . . When I do something wrong." The child said.

"What is wrong in her eyes?" John asked.

"Doing what she told me not to do." The child said.

"Well, kid, I am sorry for your loss. You are in a room surrounded by people who have been vaccinated and so I am sure you won't spread it anymore." John said. "Besides, without a host it will die off."

"You really think so?" The child said.

"Yes," John said. "Vampires are known to die when they don't have a host. Or, better yet exposed to a scenery they do not belong in."

"Vampires!" The child said. "But they are myths."

"Honestly, it is terrifying to hear from a child on a alien planet that they too have a concept of vampires." John admitted.

"Did you see the starships that circulates on Tou'hube?" The child asked. "My dad was a big constellation nerd and worked for NASA."

"Does Tou mean you in your language?" John asked.

"Yes." The child said.

"Then don't you say youtube?" John asked.

"I read your mind. Our name for it would mean . . . A term that my father and mother does not wish for my to repeat." The child shook their head. "My mother didn't intend to hurt me that way. Honestly, it was a mistake. I. . . It was my fault that I got hurt, I moved the table somewhere she didn't want it."

"Don't say that." John said, putting one hand on the little child;s shoulder. "It is never your fault." He understood how painful it had to be for the mother to be keep back grief. The grief, he had seen in this safe house, was oddly over powering and more violent than the grief process he had seen in humans. "Though there is better ways to grief."

"What are they?" The child asked.

"It is a process to help us accept livin' without the ones we lost. There is five steps to it." John held his five fingers up. "There is denial,anger,bargaining, depression, and acceptance," John explained. "Anger is amplified when it comes to your grief process apparently." He paused looking at the child contemplating question. He rubbed his chin. "Do you feel grief?"

The child went silent.

"I felt nothing when my daddy died." The child said.

"It is common for children to be shell shocked before they start." John said,

"My dad died a year ago." The child said.

There was a pause as he sat down alongside the little boy.

"How often has she hurt you since his death?" John asked. "Out of my own medical curiosity. Just point." The child pointed to his right elbow, his right fore-arm, his left leg, his right foot, his left foot." John took a sharp breath restraining himself from asking the mother's address. "Kid-"

The child pointed to his left elbow.

"Mommy's been putting herself into her room all day." The child said. "I had to . . I had to. . . I had to go out and get a job to support her. She is going to die in there if I am away from her for too long. She can be in there for two weeks and die."

"But you are here." John said. "Far,far away from her."

"My uncle is taking care of her. I have taken care of mommy. I rescued her from the fire." The child said. "In the mountains." John noticed the hooves the child had for their feet then looked back up. "She doesn't eat willingly. I just want Daddy to come home and fix everything that I broke."

John angrily bounced. John had developed a habit since taking on Leonard's persona. Leaning forward on the balls of his toes to bounce then fall right back to his foot being in the natural position. It had been a habit of Leonard's. He had been bouncing on his little big toes since he could walk. Leonard felt like family, well actually, been part of the Grimm family. Samantha would keep an eye out for the boy while John was out there on other business. He was checking on rumors of DRN's being brought back from the void in which they were left to degrade. It had become a point of John's to find out if Dorian's person and charger were still around. Before lying to to who had been his ex partner. John couldn't shake the bounce off. Samantha made the comment when they were alone together arguing, "Did you just bounce at me?" "My dear Watson, I believe I just did." It made Samantha laugh then go on a lecture on how she was nothing like Joan Watson. It would take a few hundred years to lose the habit, Samantha estimated, not a couple thousand. It was a quirk that was not his. The quirk would be all that was left of the relationship John shared with Jim and the friendship as well.

"You didn't break it. A explorer broke it." John said. "Stop defending your mother and blaming yourself is not going to help you. Nor will it bring him back." He took his hand off the child's shoulder. "Mr naquadah. . . The only way your father is coming back if you follow him to the light. Which I don't see happenin' anytime soon."

John kindly smiled upon the child.

"When I die, I want to apologize to daddy about letting mommy ruining his trophy collection." The child said. "Because I was supposed to put them into the basement before he took ill."

"I grieve with thee." John said.

It was a Vulcanian phrase that meant what was said. It was a phrase coined to comfort Vulcans and others. Humans preferred the phrase over "I am sorry for your loss" and "They are at a better place". One phrase, over, "I love you" was readily accepted in humanity. That phrase was "Let me help". Being there was a friend was more acceptable to let them cry onto their shoulders. John walked away where he saw a ke'her'zien nurse going into the locker room to change. Remarkably, humanity and ker'her'ziens shared common aspects. The lockers were easy to use. They also were what humans used on Earth with locks but these locks were rounded objects. It had been years since John had to use a old styled locker combination. The locker combinations at the academy were flat screens that had to be written with a specific set of numbers.

"Hello." John said.

The woman turned in his direction with her name tag read Sa'bell.

"Hello." Sa'bell said.

"Do you happen to know where a cot is so I can sleep?" John asked.

"Oh sure," Se'bell said. "Down the hall,"" She pointed in the direction of the passage way toward the right. "Two turns to the right, one turn to the left, straight on to the middle, and finally take a turn to the left. There is rows of beds. The one that is not neatly set is free to use. That hall is for safe house bound workers."

John tiredly smiled.

"Thank you," John said. "Miss S'Carhas me as a temporary doctor. Just a heads up."

Sa'bell shrugged.

"All right." Sa'bell said.

"You are not even alarmed by how different I am?" John said.

"What is there to be alarmed? I met some who were born with eyes different from me. Four eyes. One eye. Webbed fingers. No horns. Webbed toes. No hooves for the toes. And faces are sometimes distorted." Sa'bell said. "I am a safe house worker, not a fragile china doll."

"I guess safe houses come with hardened workers."

"Hardened workers?" Sa'bell said. "We live in a time where we are still scared of aliens."

"I am an alien-" John was cut off.

"And the networks still portray women as scream proned, delicate little creatures,and sex objects!" Sa'bell said. "Sometimes the alien costumes they create make the aliens look so sweet, adorable, and cute. I mean, alien? Alien is something that we don't know. You look like one of the monsters of the week in those tv shows with black and white color. Don't know how they remove the horns and change the eyes for that." She shook her hand. "We see violence every day. Some of us are not even capable of seeing what we see. Sometimes we come in with victims who need critical help and we can't keep our lunch in. We have to reroute them to a ER room." She put in her uniform then took out her jacket and what appeared to be a phone. "For example, White's Anatomy."

"Grey's Anatomy?" John said. "That soap opra? Or are you talking about the doomed General hospital?"

"It is one of many tv shows that are frank about this society. We are not scream queens." Sa'bell said. "You are referring to Relative Hospital. Still going on. Sunny is dealing with her bipolar disbility that suddenly popped up. I really wish they introduced that ten years ago." She shook her head. "I may be able to tolerate others and their differences but being called brave for being able to look at victims in the eyes? I feel insulted." She slammed the door shut. "They make us sound like . . ." She stopped placing her head against the door. "Looking at people for who they are is going into battle." She leaned her head away. "Which it is not."

"I didn't mean to sound that way, nor imply that way," John said. "In fact I work with aliens in outer space." She blinked at him. "I am curious." John folded his arms then waved his right hand. "Can you roll an eye?"

"We cannot." Sa'bell said.

"What I mean to say is: you are not even scared of someone different from you coming in. Someone like you would scream like half of the people I met in this safe house when they first met me," John said. "The shock's worn off."

Sa'bell stared at him.

"You cannot mean that." Sa'bell said. "You cannot be an alien from outer space. Aliens are big ugly fuawking creatures that are insects." Now that, was actually amusing coming from an alien. Who didn't know she was an alien in his eyes. But, technically, he was the alien. But hearing that straight from a alien made John want to laugh.

"I am very certain the bracelet god brought me here while choking my head nurse to death." John said.

Sa'bell froze.

"The ka'kou." Sa'bell said. "I thought it was a myth."

"What is the ka'kou?" John asked, curiously.

"It's. . ." Sa'bell stopped. She had a expression on her face as though something had crossed her mind. She made her decision. "It's ridiculous." She shook her hand. "You wish you never heard it." She walked past John.

"I wish I heard it!" John called back.

"Fauwk you!" Sa'bell said.

"That's not how it is supposed to be said,Miss Sa'belll!" John shouted back. John headed in the directions of the room Miss Sa'bell had instructed and slid off his stained shirt. His pants weren't even stained so perhaps he can sneak a pair of scrubs on while heading to bed and hopefully fall asleep. There to be loose, comfortable scrubs laying around. Shouldn't there?


	25. Chapter 25

John could hear the sound of trucks stopping around the building. It was a three story shelter with three upper floors and two lower floors. He can hear the grunt of the engines. Sometimes having super enhanced senses were a pain in the ass. He can smell dog poop. He can smell what is inside of it. It is why it made him faint when it was especially strong. He could hear everything clearly. Shouting hurt his ears. He could hear whispers. John knew Vulcans had sensitive hearing. So he sympathized with the Vulcans. He has gone used to the side effects of the C-24 but the smell of sweaty, well nourished soldiers has never become forgotten. He had a bad feeling about this. He looked toward the bartender, a woman, who was cleaning the glass. He was a good person but getting caught and being found out by aliens of his personal secret was not his strong suit. John felt half awake, half asleep. He fell right out of the bed with a groan. He could not a sound of a child nor a man nor a woman who was terrified. He saw there were several workers in their beds fast asleep.

His vision was blurr at first. So he was only able to make out the shapes of their bodies. He did not have superman powers. He didn't have X-Ray vision. He was not able to fly. He could survive a fall from a ten story building, leap very high when it came to chasing a perp (which came in handy during his days as John Kennex) or chasing after someone who refused to get his annual vaccine. Someone like James T. Kirk. Dorian would be sure to make sure Jim was hypoed with the right medicine if John somehow was permanently killed. John was not quite sure if he could be permanently killed. He lived for the day that that the universe ended. But Samantha had a theory that if the universe ended, then restarted itself, they would possibly still be alive. Theoretically, they would be all that was left. John made the vote to throw themselves into a warp core and end it instead of being there to see their entire lives play out in front of them which that way ended a reality altering paradox. And made sense why they wouldn't have seen themselves. It was Sam's theory that the warp core could end them for good.

The sound of boots echoed down the building. John slid himself under the bed. He had no where to go. He didn't have his communicator on him. So if the Enterprise was in orbit how would they be able to beam him up? There was no way out of this. It was, strikingly, now that John thought of it, a Kobyashi Maru scenario. The medical part of Star Fleet did not have a version of the Kobyashi Maru. There were medical professionals lobbying for the creation of the medical Kobyashi Maru. They were arguing that the new medical officers need to be prepared for an operation that wouldn't be successful. No cheats. No short cuts. To accept that not everyone who appears on their table will be able to be saved. There were some professionals who took short cuts. There were medical cadets who were good and then there were bad apples. Because short cuts and improvisations could spell the end of the patient in long term. These non-allowed medical procedures worked but for short term and sometimes, there wasn't ways to make the short term become long term due to the domino effect. Some of these procedures were known to have unpredictable side effects. John, personally, was supporting the idea of there being a Kobyashi Maru program for the medical community. John heard the men approaching. Perhaps if he hid and kept himself quiet long enough they would leave.

Don't forget he is half awake, half asleep.

John's eyes closed while curled up into a ball.

When John opened his eyes, he felt as though he was being dragged. His feet dragging behind him. He felt drowsy and exhausted. He also registered what felt to be hands wrapped around his shoulders. He could see colors that were blinding him. He could hear shouting from behind him. It hurt John's ears. It was as though John was in a rock concert with loud speakers all around him. It made him wince. He smelled the soldiers, some of which were recently shaved and sweaty. He was confused what was going on. Was this a bad dream? A bad feeling sunk into his stomach. He was experiencing a bad feeling regarding this entire scenario. He felt a heavy weight on his shoulders. He was sluggish. He was too groggy to react. He fell to knees in front of bright lights. He could see several pairs of lights belonging to cars in the darkness that cloaked them. If he hadn't known better, he would compare them to the myth of souls in the darkness since they were so round and radiant. He closed his eyes adjusting them to the scenery. He saw the shapes of buzz hair cuts.

He saw the shapes of tall, sharp horns standing out. John looked up in the direction of the heavy set, muscular figure. The figure lacked horns and hair. He could see the five foot six figure towering right over him. The figure reminded John of Sarge-Someone he once had been intimate with. Someone he trusted. And had been in a relationship with. A relationship that ended when Sarge was destroyed by the grenade in the ark chamber. Sarge had been a sweet, tender man in the relationship. He was the sweetheart just like Jim. At least that is what Sarge was outside of his professional zone. Asides to being the serious, confidant man who lead the group. Sarge was the man who could take command of a herd of buffalo if he could have spoken in animal then John likened to believe he would have used the buffalo as his army. He noticed the figure's legs were in the shape of a goat's legs. Strikingly similar to Sarge. John had a sigh of relief. As much as he would be happy to see his old friend, he was glad it wasn't Sarge. The last time he had seen the man was when he was in the middle of mutating. C-24 and Olduvai had done something to Sarge as teammate by teammate were killed by the demons of mars. That's what he called them. The demons of mars. John liked to believe he was an expert in zombie hunting. If they came across a planet with a civilization in a post apocalyptic scenario where zombies roamed the planet, John would actually insist on getting protective survival gear and have a phaser on his person. He failed phaser firing in the academy but that was to sell his cover as Leonard McCoy. Leonard, for all he knew, did not like using guns. All against it. It was a pity he would never get to experience how often phasers were handy in the field.

He looked up to see thick eyebrows and gentle eyes.

"Who the fuawk are you?" The tall man asked.

"Pardon me, but it is fuck." John said. "Second of all; Leonard Horatio McCoy, son of David Andrew McCoy, and Eleanor McCoy." He had practiced that over and over at the mirror as practice when he was alone. Staring at the face responsible for killing a young, promising man by accident. He hadn't forigiven himself for that. "And I am a doctor. And who might this bald and hornless man be?"

"Ch'les, but my men call me Gen." Gen said. "And he says he is a doctor. " Laughter came around him. "Bite my ass."

He kneeled over once someone kicked him in the stomach.

"Doctor's don't come from outer space." Gen said.

John looked up with a growl.

"Nor do starships." John argued back. This was a argument he was going to win. That part was settled.

"Starships are not real. You just a scifi wannabe, aren't you, 'Doctor'." He didn't need his fingers to paranthise the title. Gen stepped forward. "I have a report from a Doctor la'hep'ic with collaberating evidence from nurse S'Car that you willingly helped them in attempting to bring down our civilization. Which is a high, disasterious accusation."

"I did it to save them!" John shot back. "You don't even have horns. What? You too got infected? You are covered in prosthetics-" Gen lunged forward picking him up by the neck. "Prosthetics."

"I was born this way," Gen said, as his grip tightened. "Don' you associate my birth defect to the HDV."

"Huh," John said. "I thought you were human for a second, but those oval eye sockets are a big no-no to bein' human." Gen studied John with his squiting oval eyes. "Why don't you attempt to eliminate the threat? Crushin' my throat would be optional." Gen tossed him into the men. "That's all you got?"

"Sir." Came one of the soldiers who were holding the wide awake doctor.

"Take him to the brig," Gen said. "I highly doubt this man is even an alien."

"But sir, he's an alien-"

Gen sighed, out of annoyance, then turned away from the jeep.

"I highly doubt this man has any interest in our national security," Gen waved his hand before the men could speak. "We can hold him on charges for violating seven HDV regulations. Working with the infected, making something to cure the infected, encouraging employees to throw out the authority figure, interfering in what he is not authorized to do,applying horn removal without the surgeon, and other usual bullshit with un tracked doctors."

Gen went into the jeep.

Oddly enough, John felt slightly comforted by that.

Threat level: 0%


	26. Chapter 26

John was sitting in the cell whistling with his arms folded and his right leg was over the left leg. He was looking at the ceiling. He could break the glass wall if he wanted to. But that would blow his cover. So S'Car had not told his secret. He was safe. His entire identity was safe. He wouldn't need to make a new identity. The wall reminded John of the protective wall to the brig on the Enterprise. He had taken the tour of the Enterprise before she set sail into space. He watched the security guard reading a comic book. It was quite amazing to see Spiderman on a alien comic bookcover. Or at least the equivalent of Spiderman. It read "Spiderwoman" with goat horns and oval shaped see-through-holes.

"How did Spiderwoman become a ker'her'zien with spider powers?" John asked.

"She was bitten by a radioactive spider." The security guard said.

"What else? Does she have a hole in her sleeves for the webbing to come out instead of the web shooters device she had constructed?" John had stopped whistling as the security guard looked up in the direction of him. "Is there a entire story arch devoted to it?"

The security guard looked down at the desk then took out a large stack of comic books. He flipped through the book with his long fingers. They were quite human in nature with usual fingernails. He wore a wrist watch around his wrist and a multi colored bracelet wrapped around the other wrist. He flipped through several of the comics. He frowned at several of the pages then placed them into the stack. The security guard was in a gray and dark gray uniform with wide shoulder narrow shoulder pads. They had posed a problem on the way in to the room. John was in a gentle purple two piece uniform with the shoulder pads. The jacket had two breast pockets and shoulder pockets. John made a note to himself to write an essay about this when he got on to the Enterprise regarding what fashion in cultures posed to ridiculous society. The 21st century steaming to the 24th century fashion style was a rather funny story. He half wondered if Mister Mestral of Vulcan was either intrigued or appalled when he saw the fashion line of 2055. Which, John, had to admit was not humanity's best period.

The security guard organized a stack.

"Okay," The security guard said. "We have ten issues regarding the issue of the web shooter." He spread the issues back. "Twenty regarding the web shooters getting lost." He organized them on the desk. "Thirteen issues regarding the issue of spiderwoman slinging through the city. And at least five issues regarding not wearing the sleeves at all."

"So she still uses her web slinger?" John said.

"In the current issue, she does." The security guard said.

"Ah." John said.

"Yes." The security guard said.

"Tell me, what is the purpose of the narrow shoulders?" John asked.

"It is our style." The security guard said.

"Didn't you get stuck in the doorway." John said.

"I like it but it has its faults. It's part of our popular fashion trend. The newer outfits for the medical professionals has been released." The security guard said. "In fact, the popularity of the wide shoulder addition soared due to the release of the Fire Dragons Cinematic Universe." The security officer leaned back into his chair. "The designing department went ahead instead of making the shoulders to the various characters exposed to these." The security officer twirled in the chair. "My favorite character from the first movie was Ronchev. He spoke in whispers and in his scenes with the main protagonist he bellowed. At first I thought he had vocal problems due to the attack of a hybrid split between a dog and a cat."

"Jupiter Ascendin'," John said. The security guard raised an eyebrow. "It was a dog and human. His name was Cain."

"C'ie'iev." The security guard said.

"What about the insect fellow?" John said.

"He got his wings back in the movie." The security guard said.

"Mosquito or house fly?" John asked.

"Mosquito." The security guard said.

"Daaamn, I should have expected that." John said. "He was part bumblebee."

"Oh my god, part bumblebee?" The security guard placed the comics back into the drawer then leaned forward with his hands on the desk. "How huge was he?"

"Around your height." John said.

". . . . He was so small." The security guard shook his head. "With a lot of horse power for a man his height."

John nodded.

"He is certainly unexpected." John said. "You are lucky you got a franchise. We got one movie."

"Nine movies." The security guard held his hands up. "There is going to be a reboot. That makes it ten."

John whistled.

"Damn lucky." John said.

"How is your planet so similar to mine in terms of characters?" The security guard asked.

"It's a universal constant, apparently," John twirled his finger in the air in a circle. "I believe in it."

"What is a universal constant?" The security guard said.

"Let me talk about physics-" John said.

"Skip to the end." The security guard said.

"No,no,no." John shook his hand. "Physics is part of it." John said. "There is a one easily understood version of it. A physical constant, sometimes fundamental physical constant, is a physical quantity that is generally believed to be both universal in nature and having constant value in time. It is contrasted with a mathematical constant, which has a fixed numerical value, but does not directly involve any physical measurement." John leaned back against the wall, putting his hands into the pant pockets. "A universal constant is something that is there in any universe. No matter what happens. It's always there."

"Oh." The security guard said.

"Yes." John said. "So, tell me about the Transformers movies. Are they not all explosive, dark, and gritty?"


	27. Chapter 27

"Mr Mitchelle," Dorian said. "Whatever you were doing during your shift, I highly recommend you do not attempt it again."

Gary wrapped his hand around his wrist appearing to be relieved.

"I will not, doctor." Gary said, with a smile.

"I suggest you don't use that arm for an hour." Dorian said.

"I am on the morning shift so I can abide that." Gary slid off the biobed. "Hey, you remind me of a doctor I met on Starbase 1."

"That was my brother." Dorian said. "He recently left the medical profession."

"Ah," Gary said. "That is terrible. He seemed like such a tortured guy. Would have liked to know him better."

"You are discharged,Mr Mitchelle." Dorian said.

Dorian returned his attention to the padd then jotted down some information. His friend,Pro, was heavily involved in the restoration of the Vulcan species. They were in the endangered list. She was too old to become pregnant, again, but she was old enough to be a grandparent. Grandparents, in Vulcan society, were those capable of babysitting while the parents went out. A lot like the society humans had. In some cases, they could raise the children instead of the parents. Dorian knew the most logical option was to adopt. Many Vulcan hospitals had evacuated quickly and swiftly with the pregnant, delivering, and the children. It was logical for hospitals to evacuate the new lives. Many new Vulcans were born in around where Vulcan once spun. Many Vulcans were born to single Vulcans. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.

The escape shuttles were packed, practically squeezed in, with the pregnant. With what infants hadn't been able to be squeezed out. Many of the expecting fathers stayed behind for the sake of the children. The newborns were evacuated first. With precious minutes and seconds to spare. Nurses being put into the escape shuttles with the silent newborns. Dorian could picture the sight. Vulcanian males helping with the medical staff's evacuation. Movable biobeds being speeded down the halls. Shuttles taking off into space. Not a sign of emotion clear in the facility with those who were moving around. Some being able to escape with arms full of wrapped up pointy eared newborns. The ground trembling beneath their feet. Vulcan's would not stop moving when it came to disasters. They had to ensure someone was able to get out. The buildings trembling. Houses falling in with loud crashes that would have been alarming. The sounds of rock shattering, crackling, and falling. Dorian suspected many Vulcans shot one glance at it and rushed their patients out via shuttle. Or their co-workers depending on where they were evacuating. The children in the hospitals would probably have been evacuated by the time the city was being struck. The pregnant vulcanian woman shot into safety. Few elderly experiencing with bendii's had little chance of getting to a shuttle pod quickly. But countless medical research was preserved with the stubborn pursuit of Vulcans including a number of Bendii's patients and many Vulcan Attendys were able to escape. The attack on Vulcan was devastating for the population and its effects were felt. It was quite painful many Vulcans died in this tragedy, but not also that, their planet was destroyed. Pro had adopted two seven year old's, who were bethrothed to each other, in order to keep them together. Dorian had called Pro that morning to see how she was doing. He opened up a tab to his padd.

M'BENGA:

THESE CHILDREN ARE SO ADORABLE. I CAN'T BELIEVE I AM RAISING THEM. LOOK AT HOW ADORABLE THEY ARE! :D :D :D I HAVE ATTACHED A PICTURE OF MY PANDA BABIES IN THE ATTACHMENT! SURAK, HELP ME!

-Pro

Dorian had a laugh to himself seeing that she had discovered emotes. She couldn't contain how excited she was to be a parent. Her own children with their grandchildren were on the way return to Vulcan. Or what was left of it. The USS Phoenix was waiting for the remaining Vulcanian ships returning from various missions. The Vulcan starships were to be redirected to New Vulcan. Part of Dorian felt pity for them. But also sympathy. They all ready knew their planet was gone. If any survived the loss of their families and broken bonds. He felt sympathy because they had lost family just like he did. Only Dorian lost them to the wrath of time. He opened up the attachment to see the two newborns resting in cribs. Dorian believed it helped Pro in some way and it filled in the void her mate had left behind. He understood how parents felt with the loss of their child. He understood too well. She couldn't stop talking about them.

Miss Pro:

They are adorable. :-)

-Geoffrey M'Benga

His communicator beeped.

Dorian flipped out his communicator. Star Fleet had just gone through during the repairs and changed the announcement system. It was standard regulations, now, to notify others via communicators rather than intercomn for anything aboard the ship. The intercomn was removed, completely, as were the comn terminals. Communicators were supposed to be on their person twenty-four-seven like a phone had been in the late 21st century to millennial's. Their faces buried in the phone. A blue shade of color on his face. For announcements regarding assignments to away missions, they had to call them individually. Which was the first officer's duty. Dorian was assigned to the first rescue mission, or actually, away mission. That is what Mr Spock referred to it as. They weren't supposed to be there and Jim knew he would get flack for it but the kid was rumored to talk his way out of anything. Two of Spock's interns came in with burns through the doors. Samantha took one look at them then picked up a pair of dermal regenerators.

"Severe burn marks, level 2." Samantha whispered to Dorian. She was on her shift. To Samantha's right there was Nurse T'Spol was attending to a security officer's injuries staring quite blindly through him. It was a miracle that T'Spol was still in Star Fleet let alone not contributing to the restoration of her species which came out with how many children per couple should be making. Dorian thought she was a brave Vulcan. He admired her for sticking up for her rights and turning down the offer.

"I will get the third level." Dorian said, as he was handed a dermal regenerator. Dorian recognized the two men, instantly. "Ensign Dall Vall and Ensign Riez?" He raised his eyebrows in surprised. "I didn't expect you here."

"Hi, Geoffrey." Vall said, with a nervous smile.

"I didn't expect to see you here," Dorian said. "You were a vandal on Vulcanis."

"Hey, that was a one time thing,doctor." Vall said, as he sat onto the biobed.

"You and wall spray burns tend to have a pattern," Dorian said. "Tell me what kind of job requires you spraying walls?" He clicked the dermal regenerator.

"It wasn't a wall spray." Vall insisted, as Dorian slowly cleared the man's neck.

"Oh really?" Dorian asked.

"It is the burning squid Mr Spock put in our care," Vall said. "The one who somehow got into this merchant, Henry Mudd, who some how got it from a bartender who got it from a smuggler who got it from a Romulan smuggler who got it from a Andorian smuggler who got it from a god awful smuggler," Vall made a disgusted look at thought of it. "-Who got it from a Klingon smuggler who got it from a rogue smuggler who got it from a pirate who got it from this shady guy with some kind of additions to his body and his ship who got it from some being called a Cardassian. I have no idea what a Cardassian is but it sounds like the Kardassians who were the popular drama family of the late 21st century."

"It does sound that way." Dorian made it to the man's forehead.

"We have no idea how to feed it." Riez admitted.

"We feed it salmon!" Vall said.

"We don't have a nearby body of water to come fetch it, now do we?" Riez said.

"They do eat things other than salmon." Dorian said. "Try feeding it lumps of coal."

"Lumps of coal?" Vall said. "That is ridiculous."

"There is a hot dwarf planet nearby." Samantha said. "With the right thermal suit getting those necessary lumps of coal can be possible to retrieve and main the very being." Dorian looked over to see she was done wit the young man and writing adding report on his medical file. "Now, I don't know if you want to get it yourself. . ."

"We'll get it ourselves, with permission from the captain." Riez said.

"Would the captain even say yes to that?" Vall asked. "I doubt it."

"He is the genius." Riez said.

"He is not a genius," Dorian said. "He just knew the Narada's first attack at the back of his skull."

"Which still qualifies for a genius." Riez said.

"I want to see this octopus you have here," Dorian said. "Just so I can see for myself the animal causing your burns." He raised his eyebrow back at the two men once finishing the dermal regeneration on Vall. "You didn't honestly attempt to touch it."

"It fell on my face." Vall said.

"And mine." Riez said.

"And it burned my baby soft hands." Vall held up his fingers. "That qualifies as the worst day of my life."

"Trust me, space is that way." Samantha said. "And there is much worse out there."

"I agree," Dorian said. "And I have to see this little squid for myself."

"No, it would burn you." Riez said.

"I bet to differ." Dorian said. "I am always good with marine life. Just need to approach them right."


	28. Chapter 28

Spock was walking down the almost vacant hall. He saw there was a group of girls crowded at one part speaking in a different language, each of them held pads, and they were well addressed. Appropriate for the occasion. One of them was in the blue shirt with a white neck collar variation of the nurse outfit that had a skirt. Now only if they had a blue and white hat to go with it would it be a reminiscent sight for woman attire in the early medical field on Earth. His hands were locked behind his back. One hand held the wrist. Amanda had sent a message regarding Sybok's effort to help the surviving Vulcans deal with the grief by setting up counseling centers. The Vulcan Council disapproved of the idea but it was the only way to drift the grief, express it, and overcome it rather than succumb to it. His entire home planet destroyed. You would think things would be different. Of course they were, he nearly lost his mother. His grandmother. His father. And several of the Vulcan Council. Surak's katra was in Sarek's mind during the evacuation. They were so lucky to have made it out. And Spock, well, losing his home planet emotional compromised him then. But he had control over himself.

He was going to lab one for Doctor M'Benga who should be reporting to the transporter room in one hour.

Spock had dealt with his grief a bit with Sybok's help before being sent out into space.

 _"I grieve with thee." Sybok had said. He had kept the mustache when he saw his brother again._

 _"I grieve with thee." Spock replied. "I did not expect you here."_

 _"Being exiled from Vulcan and then being allowed to secondary home, yes, that is surprising," Sybok calmly laughed. He poured some tea into the cup. "I have grown the ingredients in my personal, mobile garden. Been helping others with their pain since my exile." He held his index finger up. "Willingly, I should add!"_

 _"That was logical for you." Spock said._

 _"Father was leniant on you compared to me." Sybok said._

 _"I do not recall him being leniant." Spock said._

 _"Spock," Sybok said. "You joined Star Fleet without arguing with father constantly and going against his very ideals."_

 _"I joined Star Fleet because they did not accept my human half." Spock said._

 _"You joined it because you needed to belong somewhere," Sybok reminded his younger brother. "You were like an outcast."_

 _"That I was not." Spock denied._

 _"I still have the pre-school pictures mother sent me before Vulcan was destroyed." Sybok said._

 _"She could not have had the time to send you that." Spock said._

 _"She did. She sent me everything after you joined star fleet. Even that stupid sweater that made you scratch yourself until they went to a human doctor." He took a sip from the glass. "That was primarily the best days before Star Fleet accepted you. Mother was over the moon. She was so elated that the only reason why she wasn't embarrassing you in public was because she talked to me."_

 _"You still have it." Spock said._

 _"Why yes, brother." Sybok said._

 _"Could you give it back to mother? I believe she will find it beneficial in the winter months of the planet," Spock said. "Logically, the temperature would be reasonable for a winter sweatshirt."_

 _"I will,brother." Sybok said. "But first. How do you feel?"_

 _"Satisfactory." Spock said._

 _"Brother," Sybok said. "I know you better than that." He slid forward a cup on the table toward the man. Spock looked toward his brother who seemed to be pleading for the man to open up. To at least help himself. "Talk to me. Mother is concerned you don't have a shoulder to cry on."_

 _Spock briefly closed his eyes._

 _"I felt your betrothed's death. I felt her among all those live lost on Vulcan, approximately one second after I arrived on the transporter." Spock said. Sybok's face turned long as though he realized something that he had been putting aside. "How about you talk to me about your current emotional distress."_

 _Spock took a sip from the tea cup as Sybok's hand trembled._


	29. Chapter 29

Dorian had a good look at it and laughed. He didn't sound afraid nor did he appear to be afraid which was terrifying to the two science ensigns. It was a dark red octopus like being that reminded Dorian of Octillery. It had rounded yellow spots all over it with eight tentacles. He was so adorable. He leaned down putting both hands on his knees. Samantha and several nurses were covering Dorian, besides, he had a away mission that he had to attend to anyway. It was radiating with steam traveling about the isolated laboratory room.

"You are isolating it from everything." Dorian said.

"Aye, doctor." Vall said, cowering behind him.

"Why?" Dorian asked.

"Because it's a threat." Riez said

"Let me show you how much of a threat a marine animal really is when you have to get it out."

"Doctor M'Benga!" Vall shouted, as Dorian walked into the room.

"Hey kitty, hey kitty, hey kitty," Dorian said. "Who is a cute cat?" He kneeled down taking on a pair of gloves that were able to fit his hands. "Come here boy."

The octopus slowly made its way blinking one eye at the doctor. He held one hand out cooying at it. The octopus came to a stop as the two men stepped back in horror and turned around waiting to hear his scream. "It's all right, little cutey. It's fine. I am not going to hurt you." And then there was silence. A eerie long period of silence. They could hear themselves gulp. They heard the door to the laboratory open with a familiar pair of footsteps trailing behind him.

"Ensign Vall, Ensign Riez," Spock said. "Why are you standing that way with your eyes closed."

They opened their eyes to see their commander standing quite blankly appearing to be confused with his eyebrow raised in confusion. They had a sudden moment of speechlessness then turned in the direction of the door. Spock brushed past them furrowing his thin, black slanted eyebrows. They followed him.

"Fascinating." Spock said,sounding like a intrigued scientist.

"What?" Vall asked.

"It is not burning through the material of the gloves." Spock said. From behind the glass door Dorian was gently stroking the large beast with great care. The two men flinched at the memory of being touched by the menacing beast. Suddenly, Spock turned in their direction. "Whose idea was it to attempt at using an outside source to sooth the creature down with its irregulated temperature?"

"Uhhh . . ." Vall said. "It was Ensign Riez!" He punched the man's shoulder, lightly.

"Mine?" Riez asked. "No, it was Lieutenant Sanders whose in inventory. It was her idea."

"It was Lieutenant Sanders." Vall said, confidently.

"The room is not burning, so obviously, you have found the solution to declare it as a non-dangerous species in the federation." Spock said. "If you find Lieutenant Sanders then please inform her that she must have her communicator on and to call me later."

"Aye, sir." The men nodded.

"And where is she?" Spock asked, his eyebrow lowered.

"In the men's room." Riez said.

"Lieutenant Sanders is a transexual? I was not aware of that." Riez half wanted to say, "No, that's not what we are saying" but he only nodded. "That is intriging. I did not expect to learn that about her," He turned in the direction of the door then lightly knocked. Dorian looked up. "Doctor M'Benga."

"Sorry, Mr Spock." Dorian apologized. "This little sucker is a little adorable pet. Can I keep it?"

"Unfortunetly that is not an option," Spock said. "We must drop this off to the nearest starbase with it's nutritional needs and a staff fully aware of what not to do."

"I can write the guide up, quickly, if you like." Dorian said.

"That would be satisfactory, doctor." Spock said. "I will see you in the transporter room." He turned in their direction. "Ensure the creature does not attempt to escape it's housing unit for the time being. Nor does it attempt to burn anyone else."

"Aye, sir." The men said.

"And read the guide so you will not burn your hands." Spock said.

"We will make sure to do that next time." Riez said.

"We swear." Vall said.

"I will be on my way, ensigns." Spock went past them then exited the lab.

"Uh. . ." Vall said. "Do I have to tell Lieutenant Sanders that I let it slip she is a transexual?"

"No, not ever, let Mr Spock find that out his way," Riez said, as he looked onward toward the doctor. "If McCoy were here, would this have still happened?" Riez looked over toward Vall with a raised thin eyebrow while rubbing his chin.

"Probably not." Vall said. "The doctor, or so I heard, hates marine life. He can melt by cats, though."

"So this is one of a kind doctor." Riez said.

"Not the usual run of the mill." Vall said.

"It's interesting," Riez said. "You never meet someone like that who is so soft and and kind toward aliens no matter what they look like."

"Animal lovers." Vall said, with a sigh.

"Xeno lovers." Riez said.

"So, do you want to get the doctor out with me or without me?" Vall said. "Because that shit is going to burn."

"Rock paper scissors." Riez said.

"We did that last time." Vall said.

"We have a third party member with us," Riez said. "We are not going back to sick bay for the second time in one day."

"Okay," Vall said, then he held out his hand. "Let's do it."

Riez nodded, holding his hand out.

"ROCK PAPER SCISSORS-SHOOT!"


	30. Chapter 30

Dorian had known John as the kind of man who was forgetful of the small things. Such as olive oil. Dorian packed olive oil when they went on vacation two hundred years ago. Forgetting his communicator was no small matter for star fleet. It was a big matter. And it was so small and mobile that it was a lot like portable olive oil. Dorian finished regenerating the skin on Riez's arms using the dermal regenerator. The purple light jetting out of the plastic long object. Dorian looked up toward the man with a expression that could not be exactly pin-pointed. He had written up his report on how to treat the animal before the men came in. First they tossed it in the lab with a stylis. He sent the file to the men and they begrudgingly did it together though it was Riez who was burned the most.

"Doctor M'Benga," T'Spol said. "The captain is waiting for you."

Vall was working with Lieutenant Sanders to move the amber-octopi into a suitable container for the time being in a environment that would not be hostile.

Dorian looked up from the padd toward the direction of the five foot one short black man with a big afro. Riez's name sounded alien because, for some reason, there was some meddling in his genetics and he looked like a klingon but he wasn't. It was called the Forehead Crest Effect. Riez got it when he was nine and his parents were meddling in the black market to enhance their child for self defense classes. He was torn from them and tossed into the system when they went into the justice system for eleven years. Riez resented his parents for that to the Klingon genetics, he was a personally rough anger induced man with bright blue eyes. He once had his mothers emerald eyes and his father's face but this upgrade had turned him into a unique person so to say. Riez resembled his late grandfather. The Forehead Crest effect namely was improving the front of the skull to resist being punched and break someones hand if possible but the upgrade spread throughout the body replacing the entire human genetics as Klingon. No one expected a little boy to become a adult so soon. Riez changed his name when he was legal enough to do it because his birth name didn't fit him anymore. No first name. No middle name. Just Riez.

"Are you okay, Mister Riez?" Dorian asked.

Riez smiled back, clenching his hands.

"I am fine, doctor," Riez said. "Nothing that a good round of punching a bag can help."

Dorian lowered the padd.

"Mister Riez, if you have any problems with your physiology-" Dorian was cut off.

"I will report to you, personally," Riez held his hand up. "Doctor McCoy has no experience with someone like me."

"A first time is always good." Dorian said. "I will introduce him to you when I get back."

"I look forward to that, Geoffrey." Riez said.

Dorian submitted his report then handed the padd to T'Spol.

Riez got off the biobed appearing to be unbalanced at first.

"See you later, alligator." Riez said, with a wave.

Dorian knew Riez from Vulcanis.

In fact, Riez was visiting Vulcanis to visit his adoptive mothers just last year. Riez was raised two, loving caring female Vulcans who at first glance didn't look female but otherwise male. Many Vulcans had different hair styles but their hair style was much like the men. Dorian knew many Vulcan males who were bald. Some argued it was quite logical for them and it was aesthetically pleasing when they looked at themselves in the mirror. Perhaps it was what little of a mustache they were growing on their faces. Dorian checked it off as too much male chromosomes remained behind. He had seen a female Vulcan with a beard before check into Vulcanis hospital with a bump on the side of their head and a injury on their arm. Dorian knew Riez's adoptive parent's personally as he treated them for a Vulcan sickness just three years ago treating Pro. Riez was a all right person in Dorian's book but he had no idea why he bothered to become a science officer. He would have been a excellent security officer. Dorian picked up the knap sack of medical supplies that was standard for going on away missions for medical professionals.

Dorian came out of sick bay to see Captain Kirk speaking with Mister Spock standing beside the door. He noticed Spock had his hands locked behind his back. The captain, however, had his hands to his side. He was like an oddball standing in the hall looking so young and bright. It was like the sun had been put into a body of a human who couldn't contain the intensity of it. His gentle sapphire eyes were talked about by some of the ensigns who wound up in the sick bay. The only thing they could talk about was his eyes. Riez and Vall had not met the captain personally so it was nice to hear the two men talking about something else for a change.

"-We were unable to learn the name of the fire squid." Spock said.

"So it's just a squid that is like magma," Jim said. "Whose idea was it to bring aboard the ship?"

"It was Admiral Pike," Spock said. "It was a problem that we were supposed to have dealt with earlier."

"Why did it take so long?" Jim asked.

"It was evading our attempts to engage it into a trap." Spock said. "It was only luck Lieutenant Sanders lured the animal into the laboratory and sealed it off."

Jim nodded.

"Understood." Jim said.

"Captain, Commander," Dorian said, as their attention turned toward the doctor. He tilted his head, slightly. "I thought you would be waiting in the transporter room."

"I thought we should be acquainted with the second doctor on staff." Jim said. "I have been busy becoming acquainted with the crew of my ship for the past week."

Four hundred twenty-nine,not adding John.

"Which is a logical choice,captain." Spock said.

"All right." Dorian said.

It made sense why the ensigns and lieutenants were talking about him often in sick bay. Dorian wondered if there was bound to be a fire every time Jim left them and sent them to the Enterprise sick bay. Partially why so many of them ended in sick bay shortly afterwards. John redubbed it sick bay over med bay because med bay sounded not of this time. It sounded like a small, square room full of medical supplies on a navy destroyer rather than a starship. Sick bay was more appropriate in John's opinion. Dorian agreed with that assessment.

"Were you assigned before or after the attack?" It was was a unique conversation starter.

"Before," Dorian said. "I was there when Doctor McCoy sneaked you into sick bay."

"Allergies." Jim said. "It's good that I am not going to have that again."

"You have allergies?" Spock inquired.

"Just for eye vision repair and other types of medicine made off-world." Jim said, with a hand wave. "Not like I am going to need it."

"Actually, there is a probable chance you will need to wear glasses in your late fifties due to your vision degrading as you get older," Dorian said. "There are still companies who manufacture glasses for those who have a problem like yours."

"I thought the practice of getting glasses was long rid of." Spock said. "We have visors for the blind."

"I am pretty sure I am not going to grow blind." Jim said.

"Ambassador Solhak went blind shortly before his passing as had the first female president of Earth." Spock said.

"Very sure I won't live to two hundred years." Jim said.

"Current expected human life span is around one hundred sixty-three years, three months, three weeks, and four days." Dorian said. Spock raised his eyebrow at the android. Jim turned his head in the direction of Dorian. "I like to be precise when it comes to medical matters."

"How are you so sure, captain?" Spock inquired.

"It's just a feeling I have." Jim said. "What about you, Doctor?"

"Dying of natural causes at the age of one hundred sixty-six." Dorian said. "With my spouse, in bed, peacefully. That would be my ideal way of passing." Jim turned his head away. "Yours, Mr Spock?"

"Two hundred thirty-four years old with my mate, T'Pring, on New Vulcan after a long and promising career in Star Fleet and my katra to be deposited into the second hall of ancient thoughts." Spock said.

Jim's smile was radiant.

"I didn't realize you are married, Mr Spock." Dorian said.

"I assume it was done logically." Jim said. "But then you were cheating on her."

"We had not yet consummated our marriage." Dorian was thrust back into the memory of holding John in his arms, bridal style, gently kicking a door open in a good tuxedo. Then he walked in carefully closing the door behind him. They crashed onto the couch tipping it over on the floor while John was showering Dorian in kisses. "We were betrothed age seven. My experience with lieutenant Uhura does not count."

"All right." Jim said. "I am more inclined to believe you. Mister M'Benga, surely you have someone special."

"Why yes, I do." Dorian said before he could articulate it in his mind. "We have been separated for some time."

Dorian remembered how they spent their first night together as husband and husband. How the couch broke in half and how panicked John was about replacing it since "Oh my god, is this going to effect my insurance?" and "We cannot tell the captain about this, nor Richard, nor Valerie. Nor Rudy. We keep it to ourselves for a story over drinks." It costed John a lot of coins. Seeing the man naked pacing back and forth on the phone with the couch company instead of calling the manager and informing him and getting the bill hiked up, John opted for a different way of transporting new furniture.

"That must be a rocky time for you." Jim said.

"That was three years ago." Dorian said. "We are two different people."

Which was true.

"People change over three years. . ." Jim mused. "Some don't."

Two hundred years.

And only one of them had changed weathering through the passage of time.

Dorian changed programming wise and personality wise through those around him. He was probably one of the rare people who could wait an hour for someone who was coming late to a party. Someone who would be found leaning against the wall with their arms folded mentally keeping track of time. Except he had time programmed into him. There were unauthorized synthetics, versions who looked just like him, out there. He wondered how they operated outside the wall. At least the ones that hadn't been caught during their partnership together. Was Dorian even the same man he was before? Why of course he can still scan anyone, anything, any private parts. John is a bisexual kind of man who used his flirt toward perps of any gender. More often than not to get the case running on a new lead. Dorian had accepted that until John pulled the "Sorry, "- holding his hand up.-"Married." stunt after they were wedded.

"I am willing to wager you will not be the same person who first stepped foot on the Enterprise in the next five years,Captain." Spock said.

Which probably would be true since this is the boy's first command, Dorian thought.

"I accept that bet." Jim said. "And in return, you are a sucker at cards."

"That is not a bet." Spock said.

"Yes, it is." Jim said.

"I do not believe that is even remotely bet." Spock said.

"Have you ever played cards?" Dorian asked.

"Not that I have bothered." Spock said. "I am not interested in gambling."

"All right, Mr Spock." Jim said. "You are a sucker at swimming."

"Swimming?" Spock inquired.

"Yes, swimming." Jim said.

"What is that?" Spock inquired.

"Captain." Dorian said, in a bemused voice. Then he gently reminded Jim, "Vulcan did not have beaches."

"All right," Jim said. "When you get a promotion, you will have known to swim from under my command."

"I do not believe swimming would be part of missions," Spock said. "Due to my Vulcanian make up, I will fall like a rock."

"Not necessarily." Jim said.

"Not necessarily?" Spock asked. "It is quite logical."

"What the captain means, you have to learn to float." Dorian said.

"Exactly." Jim said. "It is really relaxing for someone like you."

"I do not believe in shore leave," Spock said. "And I rather not."

"So you are telling me Vulcans don't give themselves a reward for being on duty for so long?" Jim asked.

"Affirmative." Spock said.

"Bullshit." Jim said.

"Rewarding ourselves, logically, is to continue our duty." Spock said.

"If I wasn't a doctor, I would say Vulcans are workaholics." Dorian said. "Which, honestly, they are."

"I knew someone who was a workaholic and they still took time to relax." Jim said. He coughed. "My mom." He faked another cough.

"Statistically, Vulcans are more efficient at their task without breaks." Spock said. He tilted his head. "Are you well, captain?"

"I am fine." Jim said.

Spock looked at the direction of Dorian.

"Doctor?" Spock asked.

"Trust him, he is fine," Dorian said. "Asides to his usual heart rate, normal temperature, and being in his green wrap around tunic rather than the standard."

"It feels comfortable." Jim said.

"If he is not fine, then Doctor McCoy will drag his ass to sick bay." Dorian said.

"Chase my ass, you mean." Jim said.

"You do not seem the type to flee from McCoy." Dorian said.

Jim snickered, as they came to the door of the transporter room. Actually, Jim hit the door first then stumbled back covering his nose. The doors opened before Spock and Dorian. They were turned in the direction of the captain who went on forward as though nothing had happened. It was quite amusing, actually, to see him striding past with a clearly not-the-slightest-broken nose. Was he invincible or have some type of skin that could not be penetrated? Dorian was amused, actually, by the door as he resumed following after the captain.

"Bones was the one who gave me vaccinations when he was supposed to be studying," Jim said. "He chased me throughout the academy."

He went through the doors followed by the two.

"That would be unsafe." Spock said.

"Yes, it was." Jim said. "To those around me. Ensign Jefferson and Ensign Renolds!" The two officers looked up placing their phasers into their black holsters with the look of a doe that appeared to be caught by a oncoming pair of hover car lights. "It is good to see you here." Dorian saw that their heart rates had increased and their pupils were small. Captain Kirk had given his security detail a good scare. "First away mission for you. This is my third."

Dorian looked over toward Spock.

"The Narada and eliminating the drill count as separate away missions, apparently." Spock said. "However illogical as they were one separate away mission."

"Aw come on, Mr Spock," Jim said. "It was two."

Dorian held his hand up refusing the phaser belt when Jefferson raised it.

"I can take care of myself without these." Dorian said.

"All right." Jefferson put the phaser belt away. Their phaser belts were under their red shirts but alongside the black regulation shirts. "It is your loss." Dorian had decided against getting a phaser because 1; he could macgyver a hypospray into a phase stun pistol with a few selective vials. He did not wish to harm people to save his patients. Besides, what's the point of having a security detail if you had a gun to defend yourself? These were trained officers from Star Fleet academy. Spock had looked at Dorian oddly when he refused the phaser pistol. Did he suspect? No, not likely. It was highly unlikely. Many medical professionals opted to go with phasers. Phase pistols were standard to go on away missions before Star Fleet was established as a utopia society and the United Federation of Planets. Before . . . It was generally customary to go with a phaser for the medical officers.

"Prepare for beam out." Jim said, as he wrapped the black belt under the green wrap around tunic.

"Captain," Spock said. "It would be logical to send a one man team to identify what era this planet is in and come back with disguises to fit in."

"We don't know what they are doing to Doctor McCoy." Jim said.

"He is in a heavily populated location and we can be spotted." Spock said.

Jefferson took out a beanie.

"Sir," Jefferson said. "You will need this beanie for the away mission."

Spock took the beanie.

"Problem solved." Jim said.

"But not the uniforms, captain." Renolds said, as Spock placed the beanie on his head covering the tips of his pointy ears.

"Prepare to beam us into a isolated location near where Doctor McCoy is spotted, lieutenant Jackson." Jim instructed. He turned toward his security team. "Comic con. Surely they must have cosplayers."

"It would be a possible event." Spock said. "There is a fifty-three point forty-three twenty-three percent chance."

"I like the odds." Jim said.

"I do not approve of them." Spock said. "You do not need to be on this away mission, Captain."

"I go with these odds every day of my career." Dorian boarded the transporter padd.

Jim grinned.

"And he still made it." Jim gestured toward Dorian.

Dorian was talking about the wrong damn career. Oowch.

"A medical professional has a low risk chance of being eliminated." Spock said.

"Being a medic on site to a Vulcan fight is." Dorian said. Which was true.

"Six to beam down." Jim said. "Energize, Branolds."

"Aye, Captain." Branolds said, sliding the option on the screen upward. The lights flickered, momentarily.

They vanished in a golden haze then Scotty came running in.

"TELL ME YE DIDN'T BEAM THEM DOWN IN A ION STORM!" Scotty was panting and leaning against the doorway with Keenser right beside his leg.

Branolds froze as the ship trembled and panicked.

"I thought it passed." Branolds said.

"M'Benga to Enterprise." Dorian said.

"Enterprise here." Branolds said.

"We got a slight problem here, the captain and the commander are one person right now." Dorian said.

Scotty came speeding to the side.

"Are they all right?" Scotty asked.

"They are fine, just, it's.. . . just that he is Jim with Spock's hair style and demeanor." Dorian said. "When can you beam them back up?"

"Uhhh," Scotty looked back toward her with a uneasy look. "Hold on that thought." He covered the screen. "Miss Branolds, would ye rather wait until this storm is over tae beam them back up? I didn't expect this storm tae kick up, either."

Branolds nodded.

"After the storm." Branolds said.

Scotty took his hand off.

"Preferably in a hour,the lass is goin' to beam you up when it is safe." Scotty said.

"All right. . ." Dorian said. "I will see you in one hour. M'Benga out."


	31. Chapter 31

Dorian closed his communicator to look back at the sight. Which fell down to the ground with hands to his side with the two security officers by his side. They laid the man against the wall. Renolds and Jefferson were staring back at their captain/first officer. He was in his green wrap around tunic with a beanie on his head covering his pointy ears but the slanted eyebrows were still there. He had his hands locked behind his back. He had a tricorder wrapped around his person with the phaser belt still here including the phaser itself. He appeared to be at peace with himself and content. He was also lightly snoring.

"Doctor, what do we call him?" Renolds asked.

"Captain Kock." Dorian said, looming over the unconscious hybrid.

"That is not a appropriate name." Renolds said, in disgust. "That's a pairing name. A shipping name."

"And how do you know that?" Dorian asked.

"I met someone who unfortunately is named Lieutenant Kock." Renolds said. "Was, I meant, it is Lieutenant Sanders. She was given that last name after her parents last names because they could not pick a better name." Renolds shook his head. "Poor woman."

"I can't believe the beanie is still on him." Jefferson said. "I wonder where the blue shirt is."

Dorian shook his head.

"Captain," Dorian said,kneeling down to the side of the man. "Commander, are you all right?"

The sound of men approaching drew the alarm of the security officers. It was highly illogical,given that Spock was half human and Jim was completely human, that there be a Vulcanian person lad against the wall. Jim could not be half Vulcan. It was highly improbable. If at all. It should be a Jim Kirk like man with raven black hair, black eyebrows, and Spock's brown eyes. Which, in truth, would be a man with stringy curly black hair. There was a groan from Spirk. The appearance of four shadows came by. Renolds and Jefferson leaped out. It was dark and somewhat cold. Dorian listened to their fists slamming into the skin of the new arrivals. And grunts. He placed his hand on both sides of the man's head to apply his fingers to the very sensitive part of the Vulcan head and squeezed his hand, "Mr Spock, Captain Kirk, respond. "

A pair of sapphire eyes opened with a calm, relaxed expression on his face.

"Dorian M'Benga," It was a unique face with a easy going, professional voice. "We are fine.

Dorian scanned the man using the medical tricorder.

"I will be the judge of that." Dorian said. The tricordered indicated astonishing, but regular Vulcan markings in the biology. "For a Vulcan with green blood, you seem to be fine in every sense of the word." Dorian got up then helped Spirk up. "Do we call you. . . Commander. . . Captain?"

"It would be illogical to refer to us as two entities placed into one body," Spirk said. "The alias Spirk sounds appropriate."

"How is the captain?" Dorian asked.

Spirk paused, heavily considering a conversation going on off somewhere else. The two security officers brought the well dressed men forward. Dorian looked over once then gave it a second raised eyebrow glance when he saw the shoes and the wide ass shoulder attachments. It was a black jacket with a wide shoulder. It was odd. There were intricate designs along the shoulder area. Too odd for Dorian's liking. Jefferson and Renolds brought the bodies over. Spirk cleared his throat.

"In a acceptable, mental status." Spirk looked over toward the men as he used the wall as his support. He walked right over to the men appearing to be intrigued. "This is quite unusual. But not as unusual as the floating entity we saw earlier."

"Floating entity?" Dorian said.

"We are calling it the bracelet entity for now." Spirk said.

"Ohhh." Dorian said.

"Get dressed." Spirk said.

Which somewhat explained the choking Samantha had been experiencing on the bridge. Dorian zipped down the jacket to the uniform then carefully slid it out. The other men were in the process of doing it. He heard the hybrid mutter the word, "Fascinating." which was in intrigue. He felt around the edge to the narrowed shoulders to experience hard, flat surface which gave him the goosebumps. He noticed the pants had holes in the knees. He changed along the side of a dumpster. That, however, was not even different from the dumpster commonly seen on Earth in the 19th century. There were holes in the handles that stuck out at both sides. There were piles of trash and there were what seemed to be carts. Two older men were sharing the same tent and their legs were poking out. Their shoes were in the shape of hooves. Spirk kept the tricorder and moved the phaser into the sheath that was big enough for it. Dorian put on the pants. He folded his clothing into the knapsack including the others uniforms so they would not leave them behind. They could not afford to leave evidence behind.

Dorian took out the tracking device from the knap sack.

"How far are we from the doctor?" Spirk asked.

"Roughly five floors down." Dorian said. "Six floors up, five blocks away, at a less-than-populated military installation. Which is given very likely for a installation with military. Civilians are not allowed in places like that."

"So they can dig deep enough underground without mayhem exploding around them." Renolds said. "Now that is impressive." Renolds stepped back looking around in alarm then appeared to have realized something. Jefferson was agreeing with that, "I theorize the doctor did something the natives did not like." Spirk paused then gave a nod as though it was true. "Geographically, this land does not feel stabilize." The three men looked in the direction of the human. "Don't you feel the tremble?" The ground was trembling beneath their foot. "I estimate we are in their equivalent of California. Their San Andreas fautline may give out within the next forty-eight hours."

The ground stopped shaking.

"Ensign, were you in geography class?" Spirk asked.

"Yes, sir." Renolds said.

"If it occurs in less than twenty-four hours, how long do we have." Spirk said.

"A little over a hour and thirty-three minutes. The mini-quakes will set off the fault line." Renolds said.

Dorian finished scanning the ker'her'zien.

"Mr Spirk." Dorian said. Jefferson and Renolds moved the barely naked men against the wall slumped together with some of their horns entangling together. "The installation is this way."

Along the way, they had to stop once in a awhile because Spirk stopped overwhelmed with being two people in one body. Dorian half wondered how it must feel for Spock to juggle not one persons emotions but two. Who was controllng the body and which one was making the decision? He barely knew the two but despite the brief pauses they seemed to be handling it quite well. They put on hats going past running civilians with luggages strapped to their backside. It was like a earthquake was bound to happened or a tsunami. Spirk seemed to be puzzled.

"This is odd." Renolds said, as they came into view of public transports. "I wonder what is convincing them to leave this part of the city all of a sudden."

"Oh, I don't know," Jefferson said. "A goddamn tsunami."

"Don't use gods name in vain like that." Renolds said.

"Says the man who uses it." Jefferson said. Renolds frowned.

"That"s off the clock." Renolds said.

"Theoretically they are leaving in droves due to the announcement that one part of the continent is going to dip into the ocean." Spirk said. Dorian's eyes were trained on the device. Renolds eyes widened. "Which makes the most sense in this activity."

"Oh shit." Renolds said. "We better run."

"We do have to wait an hour before Mr Scott attempts to beam us up and correct the mistake by the transporter technician on staff." Dorian said. "If we beam up in fifteen minutes I think more or less one of us are going to die during it. Because I get the distinctive feeling the Ion Storm is still going strong."

"I was not aware of a ion storm." Spirk said.

"Sometimes they are sneaky like that." Jefferson said. "My pops lost his leg to one."

"If an ion storm turns out to be the force then I want the force to kill me rather than a spear, a snake, a graboid, a ice shark, a volcanic spider, or anything out of the ordinary," Renolds said. "The force sounds like a better way to die." He laughed. "Killed by the force!" He waved his hand in the air. "I want that on my file."

"It's on your high school graduation." Jefferson said.

"No, that is the force is with me and I am one with the force." Renolds said.

"I am unfamiliar to this force." Spirk said.

"It's all around us, supposedly," Dorian said. "From a franchise called Star Wars."

"Star Wars?" Spirk said. "The Space Soap Opera?"

"Yes, the General Hospital of space." Dorian said.

"I did not have the time to rewatch it." Spirk said. "I expect being able to watch the originals after this away mission. Possibly."

"Watching all of the movies in one week is not going to be easy, Mr Spirk." Dorian said. "Not when you are running a ship."

"That is true, Doctor." Spirk said.

"It is like taking care of a dog, but, multiplied explicitly?" Jefferson asked.

"It is a lot like it." Spirk said.

"Okay, that answers a lot of questions." Jefferson said. "Thankfully, I didn't go into command."

"Being a security officer is more interesting than becoming a priest." Renolds said.

"I agree." Jefferson said. "Who would be interested in that?"

"Someone who has an ear for everything." Dorian said.

"That." Renold said, as they ignored the panicked hysteria and vanishing people from around them.

John and Dorian knew most of the dialogue by heart, the stolen glances shared by Han and Luke, the married couple bickering by Kenobi and Anakin, the unexpected relationship between the storm trooper and space pilot, and the explicitly gay pairing in Rogue One that depicted hope as a living entity traveling from person to person. Personally, Dorian believed the entire cast did not die and that someone beamed them out before death destroyed them. It was only logical. And believable because it was Star Wars. In fact, they would rewatch Star Wars when the forth arrived. It was a legendary day not only because of the date but because it happened to be their first anniversary as a couple. Now rewatching it in this new era was a little unsure. They were colleagues. Becoming friends again would prove to toss obstacles. Two different people who knew each other a hundred years ago previously in the same ship.

"Mr Spirk, how do we enter?" Jefferson asked.

"We ask the nearest lieutenant." Spirk said.

"They are going to notice the difference." Renolds said.

"Some people don't notice how different others are," Dorian said. "At first glance. Really."

"That can happen." Jefferson agreed.

"Should we have phasers on, Mr Spirk?" Renolds said.

"When we get close enough, have them on stun." Spirk said.

"Aye, sir." The security officers said, as the group vanished into the crowd.


	32. Chapter 32

"GET YOUR ASSES OFF THE GROUND AND GET INTO THE EVACY!" Gen shouted, lifting up a fourteen year old Ker'her'zien from the ground to their feet. "This is no time to pray!"

"The ka'kou will save us!" The priest bellowed. "We do not need to leave. Let us pray."

"The ka'kou will save us!" The others echoed.

"They do not need to leave." The priest said.

The remaining lieutenants were sending the rows of people into the evacuation vehicles. The line was going otherwise fast. The priest had been dragged out of his church during nightly prayer. Officers in tactical uniform coming in and ordering them out. That was only a few hours ago.

"Praying in the middle of a evacuation?" Gen's teeth grit. He was furious, otherwise. "You could be praying in the middle of church than here." The fourteen year old was poured into the crowd by a man who appeared to be in his twenties at first glance while the preteen was screaming to be let go while being dragged against her will. "Father, take your congregation to the streets-MOVE, MOVE, MOVE!" The ground was trembling beneath their feet. Gen was sweating and this day couldn't get any more worse. The Evacy's were quite massive while being designed in shades of purple, blue, and white. The rounded windows showed several rows of horns belonging to rows of heads. Some of the heads did not have horns.

Renolds, Jefferson, Spirk, and Dorian came out of the crowd to see there were wide doors ahead that were opening and closing with personnel pouring out. There were helicopter like flights soaring into the air that were massive in size. Spirk looked at in fascination as did Dorian. There were no blades on the top. Which was truly astounding for a civilization that had yet to achieve Warp Drive. The priest turned away from Gen toward the kneeling, praying crowd. They had to achieve some form of warp drive as of lately that did not work into space. Spirk looked over in the direction of the doors as the facility. Gen and his two lieutenants were shoving people into the Evacy's that came in. There were other military postings evacuating the population inside California. The evacuation alarms were blaring through.

"How many do we have left, Lieutenant L'he'ies?" Gen asked. L'he'ies took a glance at the large group

"Roughly two hundred people, sir!" L'he'ies shot back. Gen shook his head, disappointed.

"Procrastinators," Gen grunted. "They should have made the announcement to the morning news rather than dinner time." Gen looked in the direction of his right hand lieutenant. "Are you going to take the Evacy out?"

"No, sir," L'He'ies shook her head. "I rather be there to see the city collapse than leave where I was born."

"Family?" Gen asked.

"Family is in Witchitaw, Kansas." L'he'ies said.

"How about Mar'ie." Gen said.

"She left me yesterday." L'he'ies said. "Said I was too sappy."

"You?" Gen said, with a frown. "Sappy? You are not sappy. You are just a whiny little sheit."

"Thank you, sir." L'He'ies said. "But I believe that is in the sappy category. She is right."

"No, she is not." Gen said. "You are a bright man."

"With all due respect you have not seen the intimate side of me, sir." L'he'ies said.

"True." Gen said. "I thought you were visiting family today."

"I thought that too until it was moved." L'he'ies said. "Personally? I was relieved. They don't know."

"They don't know?" Gen said. "You don't keep secrets from your parents."

"Unlike some people I know, I do." l'he'ies said.

"What was the last thing you told them?" Gen said.

"I hated them." L'hei'ies said.

There was a ground rumble beneath their boots.

"Get on, now!" Gen shouted, going over to the congregation. "COME ON, ZARSEHOLE,YOU ARE FAITHFULLY GOING TO KANSAS!" He grabbed the priests collar. "WE ARE NOT GOING TO LEAVE UNLESS THIS CONGREGATION GETS IN THE EVACY!"

* * *

The elevator was large enough to fit a car while it was right across from the group. There were people running around going through different halls. There were few of them. The machinery here was quite different for some civilization that hadn't quite made warp drive. Spirk noticed the screens were flat and touch screen with options on them. There wasn't many button galore that would be expected for a pre-warp civilization. Spirk found it odd and intriguing. A civilization that had yet to achieve warp drive was capable of this? Normally a civilization this great would have become advanced for this aspect. It was highly suspicious. Dorian and the men had walked out of the way. Spirk, however, went in the general direction of a red head speaking to a camoflaged woman.

"But-" The red head started.

"No buts, Ma'am," The camouflaged woman held her hand up. "You are to join your team in the evacuation."

"But he is not joining us." The red head said.

"You have samples that were evacuated, surely, you can make another and test that one."

"That is for fuawking science!" The red head said. "Not for reproduction! We have nothing without him."

"Before this shelf collapses, I recommend you get out of here." The camouflaged woman calmly said in the middle of the building dangerously trembling. "As the federal government has ordered." The camouflaged woman looked in the direction of Spirk. "Mr Ry'cale'ick, please escort this woman to the Evacy's." The camouflaged woman turned in the direction of the red head. "My time on in California should be spent saving what we can not with you."

"We need-" The red head protested.

"No, we don't. It is not worth bringing an alien and exposing him to reporters nor the tacky mess that comes from having an alien," The camouflaged woman said. "Goodbye, Erip'dgoj'rgij." She shared a nod toward Spirk then went past them. "Ensign Gigd'gjd'drin, get whoever you can and join me on the Evacy!"

The red head, sighed, annoyed.

"Alien?" Spirk asked, in surprise, with a raised eyebrow and hands locked behind his back. "What kind of alien is here?"

"The kind that breaks science," Erip'dgoj'rgij said. "It is illogical to think we are not alone but this man is direct evidence that we are."

"Why is it so groundbreaking if you believe this kind is alone in space?" Spirk inquired.

"Because it proves over decades of Unidentified Flying Object sightings since the early 1940's that we are not alone. Personally, if we were not alone why have no one bothered to contact us? We have not found any evidence of alien civilizations with our telescopes and radars." Erip'dgoj'rgij said. "I argue that we are alone in this universe and we are stuck on this rock until the day our sun becomes a supernova."

"That is highly illogical of you. You see, wouldn't your kind have spread out into the stars by then?" Spirk asked.

"It would destroy our solar system and our civilization would be gone." Erip'dgoj'rgij said.

"Not all of it." Spirk said.

"I believe this theory, whole heartedly," Spirk tilted his head appearing to be baffled with a startled expression on his face while trying To understand that logic. "Every bit of it. We wouldn't leave this planet because we are focused on ourselves. War, greed, money, and so no-" She stopped, looking at Spirk, intrigued as the security officers and Dorian went into the elevator. Dorian had a spare communicator with him. "Were you born in he genetic meddling era? That was over twenty years ago." She rubbed her chin as Jefferson hit the button. "Because you almost look like the alien. His blood is so. . . different."

"Different?" Spirk asked, intrigued with a raised eyebrow.

"24 chromosomes. I mean, we have yet to find out why he has 24 chromosomes." Erip'dgoj'rgij said. Spirk lowered his eyebrow. "He was demanding we don't inject it into anyone else or god help us in wiping out our civilization." She shrugged. "We are only interested in exploring the DNA, not using it."

"But everyone has 23 chromosomes." Spirk said.

"That is true." Erip'dgoj'rgij said, with a nod.

"So why does he?" Spirk asked.

"He probably has some genetic defect and there is something different about him. He is probably a genius." Erip'dgoj'rgij said. A somewhat of a smile of amusement grew on the man's face.

"I wouldn't say genius if he got himself here." Spirk said, shaking his head.

"Which begs the question." Erip'dgoj'rgij said. "Why here?"

"Perhaps he was brought here." Spirk suggested.

"Dumped? No, aliens wouldn't leave their own behind." Erip'dgoj'rgij said. "It is why we call them myths."

"Aliens do not wish to violate the prime directive." Spirk said.

"This prime directive wouldn't be a law." Erip'dgoj'rgij said.

"It's a rule we all abide." Spirk said.

"Stupid rule." Erip'dgoj'rgij grumbled.

"What do the UFOS look like?" Spirk asked.

"Sometimes they look like saucers, sometimes they resemble shovels, sometimes they are like a pen with three joints and a saucer at the top," Spirk nodded his head, listening, to every word coming from the woman. "Some people say they are like us but so alien. Sometimes they look like animals."

"Such as werewolves." Spirk said.

"Such as ants, praying mantis, big foot," Erip'dgoj'rgij said. "Short pointy eared human like beings with ugly faces." Spirk stood there contemplating, what to do about this woman who just seemingly insulted a federation species that were valued members of Star Fleet and of the United Federation of Planets in front of the captain and first officer. A part of him wanted to punch her at the face with all that rage bottled up inside his being. His hands had clenched into fists. "Are you all right?"

Spirk nodded.

"I am fine," Spirk said. "And you need to evacuate."

"Not without the alien!" Erip'dgoj'rgij said, turning away.

Spirk applied the vulcan nerve pinch then she fell into his arms.

"Without my boyfriend." Spirk said, then he shrung one arm around his shoulder and made his way toward the exit.

* * *

The doors to the lower brig opened. Apparently he had been moved to the tenth floor underground. Jefferson was feeling nervous as the ground trembled beneath his foot. The wall was shaking from side to side. There were loud threatening sounds from all around. Renolds was trembling feeling himself be afraid. Dorian stepped out of the elevator feeling around for what he should have brought. He remembered, he wasn't a police synthetic. He was a medical synthetic. The tracker indicated John was somewhere down the hall of the lower floor that seemed to be in the middle of being abandoned. He could see walk ways were falling apart. There were few people running back and forth. Some vanishing into larger buildings in shape of a beehive. Machinery fell down as the three were being swayed back and forth by the unstablized walkway.

"This way." Dorian said, as the two security officers followed the man.

"Doctor, have you ever gone through a scenario like this?" Jefferson asked.

"Walking in the middle of a natural disaster," Dorian said. "No." It was true.

"This is my first." Renolds said.

"First away mission, first natural disaster, first officer to go on a away mission without it being a Narada mission." Jefferson said. "You must be a lucky guy."

"I am not lucky." Renolds said. "I am just the unluckiest man on the Enterprise."

"You can't be," Jefferson said. "That title goes to Mr Riez."

"He has a point." Dorian said, as they stepped to the side.

Suddenly the bridge gave out. The three men leeched onto the railing. "FIRST TIME FOR THIS!" Renolds shouted, grabbing onto the pant leg of Jefferson. Dorian climbed up the pole making it to the top followed by Jefferson. Jefferson helped Renolds to his feet then went in the direction of the doctor. Suddenly a part of the bridge from above collapsed then fell. Jefferson paused, looking up, half in horror and half in shock. The first thought he had was, Oh, I am going to be killed by a bridge. The second thought, that's one huge bridge. The third thought, That's a first and last for me. Renolds shoved Jefferson out of the way. The bridge behind them fell down. Jefferson got to his feet with some help from Dorian who was saying something that the man couldn't hear. He just saw his friend from the academy just get squashed to his death. It is a memory that he will never ever forget. Something that will haunt him to the end of his life.

Jefferson followed after Dorian.

He couldn't get the sight of blood pouring onto the material and the sound of bones crunching. He died because of him. It was his fault. And he had to live with it. He didn't expect himself to live on this away mission if they came back alive. They came to the next beehive. There were two soldiers standing guard appearing to be unalarmed and stoic. They were a lot like Vulcans. Jefferson took out his phaser then fired at the men letting them to fall down to the ground with holes in their chests. The doors opened before Dorian's eyes and he came in to find John on the floor, in a librarym pinned by two bookshelves while he was tapping his fingers on the floor in annoyance. In front of him were several comic books. Dorian had to supress his laughter. Only John would end up in this kind of scenario that was not life threatening.

"Sir, are you all right?. . ." Jefferson asked.

"Besides the temporary paralysis in my leg, just fine,Mr Jefferson." John said. He cocked up one of his eyebrows. "So what is goin' on out there? I haven't heard a word since they let me come down and read their copied collection of comic books."

"Jefferson." Dorian said.

"Yes sir." Jefferson said.

"Doctor M'Benga." John said, with a glare that could kill.

"The San Andreas Fault Line is giving out." Dorian said, as he slowly lifted with the help of Jefferson, the bookcase.

"Where's Jim?" John asked. "Where is Spock?"

"Up there." Dorian said.

"Good god, this is heavy." Jefferson said, as the bookcase was peeled back for Dorian's end. Dorian looked over to see that there were bloodstains that seared through the uniform John was in. "How can you lift it so easily?"

"Work out, Mr Jefferson." Dorian said. "Let me help you with that." The two men lifted the case up.

"Oow." John slid himself out.

"And there." The men let go as there was a loud cackle.

"M'Benga to Captain Kirk," Dorian said. "Can you hear me."

"Mr Spirk, listening to you loud and clear." Spirk said. "Have you retrieved the doctor?"

"Asides to his dignity getting hurt, he is fine." Dorian replied.

"OH MY DIGNITY?" Dorian handed the man the communicator. John's face turned a heated red. "WHY YOU LITTLE RAT!"

"I will be with you, shortly," Spirk said. "Prepare for beam up."

"It's only been thirty minutes since we have been beamed down, sir." Dorian said.

"You have sucessfully accomplished the mission," Spirk said. "Do not question me."

"M'Benga out." Dorian said, then put the communicator away. Then, Dorian and Jefferson dragged John out.

"I can't feel my legs." John said. "I can't feel my legs." His eyes were widened. "I CAN'T FEEL THE LOWER HALF OF MY BODY!"

"Calm down, Doctor, we will fix it." Dorian said.

"You better." John said. "I can't live like this."

"Niether could I." Dorian said. "It is going to be all right, John."

"His first name is not John." Jefferson said.

Dorian took out his communicator.

"It's a game we play." John said. "See who aggrivates the other fast."

"I will always find you, John," Dorian said. "Two hundred years and that hasn't changed."

"Call the Enterprise, damn it!" John snapped back, leaned against the railing beside the two men.

"Dorian to Enterprise." Dorian said.

"Branolds here." Branold's voice came over.

"Three to beam up." Dorian said.

"Aye, sir." Branold's said.

Their surroundings changed as the floor gave out. They reappeared on the transporter padd under the whirr of golden rings. Samantha and T'Spol had the gurney waiting for him. It was Samantha who reached him first into a hug. She was fine for a woman who had been choked by a strange entity. He croaked out through their telepathic link, Sam! She let go of the man and helped Dorian bring him onto the gurney while T'Spol scanned John for medical anomalties for his visit. Jefferson stepped off the transporter padd. Feeling dizzy and everything was surreal. He just survived and his friend didn't. He shouldn't be alive. Dorian looked up as a golden flash of light appeared on the transporter padd.

"Captain," Dorian said. "Commander?"

Jim looked around, confused.

"Didn't we just leave?" Jim asked.

"I believe we did, captain." Spock said.

"M'Benga, who the hell is Spirk." John had brought Dorian down to his ear. "And why did you let them act as Captain?"

"Sorry?" Dorian said, as John let go. "Transporter malfunction."

"Bones?" Jim came over as T'Spol was checking on Jefferson for any injuries. "Bones!" He came to the man's side taking the man's hand while saying the man's nickname in a normal voice. "Bones."

"For the love of god, get me to sick bay before I lose even more blood!" John said. "I am hallucinatin' my captain havin' pointy ears again."

"You can talk to him, later, Captain." Dorian said, then they left the transporter room.

Jefferson turned in the direction of the captain.

"Mr Jefferson?" Jim said. "Where is Mr Renolds?"

Jefferson sighed.

"We have to speak in private." Jefferson said.


	33. Chapter 33

_Dear Mr and Mrs Renolds:_

 _Please accept my deepest condolences. Joseph Ryan Renolds died in the line of duty . . ._

Jim got up from the chair then paced the room.

The announcement system worked from the communication's system not from the captain's chair. He could make his captain's log using the chair. Jim had just gone to know Renolds. He was someone who had his nose into books. He was a man of legs, mostly, and preferred to be in the exercise part of the Enterprise than on the rec deck. The security HQ was located on Deck Five near to Sick Bay because it was convenient, and, rather logical. He rubbed his forehead during the pacing. How does he write his first letter as captain to a grieving family? One that could have been easily his mother and father receiving it. How promising he was. How promising Jim Kirk could have been had his father survived. In the room strode Janice Rand with a tray of food from the doors.

"Captain." Rand said, putting the tray down onto the desk.

Jim came to a stop at the table then looked toward the yeoman with a smile.

"Rand." Jim said. "How is your assignment so far?"

"It's fine," Rand said. "Everyone likes my hair."

"It looks good on you." Jim said. "I agree with them.'

Rand cocked her brow up.

"You don't know?" Rand asked.

"No,I don't." Jim said.

"Hm, figures. Doctor M'Benga assigned me as your yeoman." Rand said. "He also informed me to tell you that the doctor is recooperating quite well for his injuries. He will be walking in half a week."

Jim appeared to be relieved as his shoulders loosened.

"I'm glad to hear about that." Jim said, with a braved smile.

"Captain, your history indicates you have not eaten anything in hours." Rand said.

Jim sat down into the chair.

"I wasn't hungry." Jim said.

Rand sighed.

"Well, then, this will fill you up." She lifted the metal cover up from the food. There was potato soup, salad, baby carrots alongside the salad, and a glass of milk. There were tools to eat it on a napkin. "I will return for the tray in a hour. And I expect it to be empty."

"All right, Miss Rand," Jim said, bringing over a wheeled chair. "How about we talk instead of leaving?"

She sat down alongside the captain.

"This was my first away mission as captain," Jim said. "And I lost someone. . . How do captains handle that?"

"They handle it one day at a time," Janice said. "From what I know, Captains don't grieve for every loss. If they did, they would be in a constant cycle of grieving."

"How do they handle it?" Jim asked.

"Lament, pity,and guilt." Janice said. Jim took a sip from the soup using the spoon.

"So they do grieve for them." Jim said.

Janice shrugged.

"That's what they say," Janice said. "But not explicitly."

Jim leaned back into the chair.

"'You were a great man', Nero said," Jim recalled. "'Your father was there to see you take command of the Enterprise', the Ambassador said." He cleared his throat. "Who am I to argue with history? That history, was someone who knew how to handle losing a crewmember . . ."

"Captain." Janice said, putting a hand on the man's shoulder. "You are a different man."

"We are all." Jim said. "You know. . . You look better without all the hair cluttered around your head." He gestured around his hair. "Your hair is gorgeous."

"Thank you." Janice said, pleased.

"Who cut it?" Jim asked.

"A barber at the academy." Janice said. "A Andorian Barber,you may know him, Scle'ion is assigned here." A smile started to spread on the man's face. "Good friend of mine. You have to grow your hair out before he can cut your hair. He gave me some really good advice."

Jim raised an eyebrow.

"How long for this head?" Jim gestured toward his head.

"Long enough to have hair bangs, captain." Janice said.

Jim snickered.

"I never did really explore having my hair up in pony tail when Ii was younger." Jim said. "How many hair styles are there can I explore? This one feels pre-captaincy."

Janice slid over a padd then jotted down a search perimeter.

"If you were black, you would have countless hair styles to go with curly hair," Janice said. "Since you are white, which is unfortunate for me as well, you have very few options to look over regarding the pony tail." She pulled up a screen. "You can have the mohawk, the small pony tail, and the long curly pony tail if you really like it."

"I should have done that before the transition." Jim said.

"Let's admit," Janice said. "Pony tails look better on boys than girls."

"I agree." Jim said. "Distancing myself from having long hair. . ." He took a sip from the spoon. "I guess I wanted to be a rebellious transitioned boy." Janice nodded her head, in understanding. "I was born as a boy and a girl. I looked more like a girl than a boy growing up." He looked at her envy. "My mother refused to let me dye my hair purple."

"Purple." Janice said. "I dyed my hair purple when I was fifteen." She frowned as Jim swallowed some of the potato soup. "It didn't look pretty."

"Glow in the dark earrings?" Jim said.

"Glow in the dark earrings were the worse." Janice said. "They didn't even work." She rolled an eye. "Not worth getting them smuggled to my house from a friend of mine," She shook her head. "I wore them for four hours."

"In the dark." Jim repeated.

"In the dark." Janice said.

"Did they glow?" Jim asked.

"No." Janice said.

"Pity." Jim said.

"It's also why they were recalled and not distributed again. My friend's grandfather sent a complaint before the company shut down." Janice looked at Jim, tapping alongside her cheek. "Curly blonde hair would work for you if you let it grow out at the peak. Maybe that is the only part of your hair that should grow out."

Jim also had to answer to the admiralty regarding his unauthorized visit to deep space. Jim thought it over. He will answer in the morning. The image of his counterpart's youthful, square face popped into view with the parted golden bangs to the side. The eyebrows that were otherwise not thick. The hazel, kind compassionate eyes looking back at him with a flirty smile. Jim briefly closed his eyes looking back at Janice. He opened his eyes thinking of that picture of his father. Maybe he could get that swirl. The swirl his mother talked about in the stories. The P-70, the motorcycle that drove her crazy, the days when they were young and not quite mature before heading to the academy. Winona had only recently started to open up about the part of "Oh, your-dad-was-also-friends-with-Ambassador-Sarek-and-so-was-I-but-with-Amanda." that puzzled him on why she kept it from him for so long.

"I will consider it." Jim said.


	34. Chapter 34

"Hey John." Samantha greeted the doctor, coming into the room. "How is my little brother?"

John was sidelined in his quarters in a wheelchair.

"Sore." John said, tossing a book to the side onto the counter. Samantha placed a kiss on the man's cheek.

"You have a call waiting for you." Samantha said. John looked over. "It is the kind that you can't wait."

"If it is Jim, I think we can wait until tomorrow to talk," John said, as she wheeled him into the bedroom. "And besides, he can come in face to face with this discussion."

"No," Samantha said, pressing a few buttons on the keyboard. "Someone we both know."

The screen flicked to life. On the screen appeared a dark background with the sounds of what was apparently kissing,there were two moving lumps in the background on a bed with one of them was large and the other had a small thin build. A southern accent was overheard. He could see the two moons in the background and furniture. John shared a glance in the direction of Samantha, asking "Ambassador Spock, really?" In a loud enough voice where McCoy Prime and Jim Prime's faces appeared onto the screen with curious eyes that almost made John scream. It was unexpected.

"John?" McCoy Prime said. "John Grimm?"

"Oh my god . . . I can't believe . . . he was really that young." Kirk Prime said.

"Everyone was in the events of Olduvai." McCoy Prime looked down and zip was overheard.

"Awww. . . . you . . . two . . . are . . . cute," Kirk Prime said. He wore a smile that Jim wore. Except it was aged and adorable. "I like your hair style, Christine!"

"Thank you, Admiral." Samantha said.

McCoy looked back up.

"It's nice to see you again, Mr Grimm and Nurse Chapel." John was speechless and Samantha's face grew long. "Why are you sharing the same quarters?"

John shifted in his chair.

"How did we meet, Lenny?" John asked.

"You were transported from somewhere on vacation," McCoy Prime said. "And it was a malfunction. You landed on the Enterprise during a time when we had a infection that was spreading. You were quite an expert on it. You talked about Olduvai and how your team were in clandestine suits that couldn't be broken. As were the scientists. You were bent out of shape when we told you about the infection then you demanded we get phasers and kill them all."

"Which . . . was . . . unacceptable." Kirk Prime said.

"And you said-" McCoy Prime started to say.

"Unacceptable my ass." John finished.

McCoy Prime smiled, with a nod.

"And then Spock got bitten. There was a wrinkle regardin' it," McCoy Prime said. "Members from our landin' party began to turn and those who hadn't remained entirely in tact. Which was one security officer out of three. Riez was a unlucky man."

"I insisted Spock . . . be put into the stasis." Kirk Prime said.

"It was the ethnical choice." McCoy Prime said.

"You gave him mercy." John said.

"We bought time. Which is surprisin' that you are here earlier than on schedule." McCoy Prime said. "You see, we found this zombie like virus on a planet that appeared in the middle of end of the world but there was still livestock and wildlife still around. Scarecly humans in sight."

"But something bit your two security officer." John said.

The two men nodded.

"Precisely," Kirk Prime said. "It was a beast. It had to be . . . six foot seven . . . and it didn't look human." He shuddered. "It looked like a vulpimancer without fur. Then there was some . . . That were like the hulk. Some that looked like demons out of hell. And some looked like. . . zombies in human clothing." He lowered his voice then vanished out of view. "Mr Spock! How many times . . . have we told you . . . not to work late . . . with your brother?"

"Approximently thirty-three times." Came a voice off screen.

McCoy Prime sighed, shaking his head.

"You faced how many imps?" John asked.

McCoy Prime raised his arched eyebrow.

"Imps?" McCoy Prime was startled. "We called them zombies."

"Lenny," John said. "Let's be frank. I wasn't transported here."

"But you were last time." McCoy Prime said. "I see that our little Vulcans arrival has changed the landscape of your time."

"It did . . ." Samantha said. "But the damage was all ready done."

John briefly closed his eyes, painfully, then reopened them.

"Is somethin' wrong?" McCoy Prime asked.

"I am a quasi-immortal man pretending to be Leonard Horatio McCoy. That man died in a air-car crash that was my fault on the way to a university. I am over two hundred years old." John gestured toward Christine. "This isn't Christine Chapel, this is my sister, Samantha Grimm, twelve minutes older than me. That zombie you faced was a super mutant. A imp. They had twenty-four chromosomes and there is no known cure in this universe. Tell me how you did it. My other self cannot be mortal."

"This is a alternate timeline," McCoy Prime said. "And yes, he was mortal. He had lost a leg due to these imps."

"Which one?" Samantha and John asked.

"Left." McCoy Prime said.

"How did you eliminate the 24th chromosome?" Samantha asked.

McCoy Prime shook his hand.

"I don't remember, and for that, I am sorry," McCoy Prime said. "If its any consolation, he was given a prosthetic leg and a notable mention in our reports." His face softened. "You can't hook up with the Spock of this timeline or the Kirk of this timeline."

"The Ambassador all ready warned me." John said.

"Don't get me wron'," McCoy Prime said. "You would make a adorable, and cute couple for men in your age." He had a fond smile. "I honestly wish I met Spock sooner rather than later. It would have really helped me in gettin' over the divorce with Jocelyn."

"Is Jocelyn still a red head?" John asked.

"Yes." McCoy Prime said.

"She didn't happen to be allergic to cats." John asked.

"I couldn't own a cat for the longest time when I lived with her. . ." Then McCoy Prime paused then his eyes widened in horror. "Tell me you didn't masquerade as me and make yourself miserable!"

"He did." Samantha said, in a squeaky voice.

McCoy Prime groaned.

"And here I thought someone pretendin' to be me would not make themselves miserable." McCoy said. "Joanna was a good thin' that came out of the relationship. That part, I do not regret." He looked up with a heavy sigh. "You had a mortal child."

"Yes." John said.

"It was tough the first time around." McCoy Prime said.

"The first time around?" Samantha said.

"It was part of a time loop we were stuck in. She finally passed away in 2364" McCoy Prime said. "You better be there, John! YOU BETTER! She will be in Austin, Texas visiting her daughter when she has a heart attack. I wasn't there on that day, because, of the Enterprise D. She has, or will , have a fine sick bay."

"Star Fleet is going to be around for a long time." Samantha said.

"Yes, it will." McCoy Prime said. "But it has become militarized in our time due to the Dominion." He sighed. "I missed this era. Full of hope, bright, peace, and being explorers." He had a fond smile as there was light in his eyes. "I am not dissapointed I won't be able to see the war happen again."

"I take it that this was bad." John said.

"Star Fleet Academy took it severely." McCoy Prime said. "Betazed, Cardassia, Qo'Nos, and we lost several ships. We lost many friends." His voice croaked in emotion. "I lost my head nurse in that war. And I have never forgiven The Changlin's for that. I am likely never to forgive them for creatin' this travesty."

"You can prevent that." Samantha said.

"Findin' the constable?" McCoy Prime said, with a frown. "Sorry, that is not my mission."

"That's it." Samantha said. "That is what we can do." She looked over in the direction of her twin brother. "We are going to prevent a war."

"Sam, that's not our place to meddle in." John said. "It isn't. I am a doctor, not a marine."

"You still are a detective." Samantha said

"Hey!" John held his hands up in defense. "Just because I faked my death in the line of duty doesn't mean I am not a doctor."

"Says the man who became a boxer for a few years." Samantha said.

"That was for gettin' a livin' after the war." John said.

"We both have to return to our roots some day." Samantha said.

"It is never goin' to happen!" John said. "Gettin' stuck in the past! What's in the past is in the past."

McCoy Prime cleared his throat gaining attention toward him.

"Unfortunately," McCoy Prime said. "Fate dictates you will every once in awhile. There will be another timeline where you never go home. Outlivin' those who could have brought everyone you loved or cared about bein' killed by Nazi Germany. There will be a time where you are stranded in the past. There is someone you can't save. Just that one person. You will get to see the timeline where Star Fleet is replaced by somethin' else. Worse than the Klingons. This isn't Mirror Verse talk. This is worse than that. This is a Imperial Fleet comin' to existence. You are the bane of it. If what you say is true, then y'all will watch your sister and you go to Olduvia. It's meant to happen. It will happen. Remember Star Wars? THAT WILL HAPPEN INSTEAD. Imagine all those minds, raped, and destroyed, and tortured, just because they are psychic. Don't save anyone, John. As hard as it is for you, don't!"

There was silence in the room.

"So . . . Stayin' out of history's way." John finally said. "I can do that."

"Or, if you prefer, jumpin' into a warp core that has been breached and risk death when warp drive has been achieved." McCoy Prime said, in a doubtful tone.

John folded his arms raising his left eyebrow.

"Lenny, you know me." John said. "Don't be doubtful of that."

"You will have met Mister Tucker and the NX Enterprise crew by then." McCoy Prime said. "If it happens. If that ever happens to you. Do not let them get their hands on you. Get into engineerin'. You have to know this even if it does not happen. You will have to live in hell. And that hurts, too, I don't want to tell someone that with what you have. . . You would have to without livin' in a time that has no one named S'Chn T'Gai Spock, James Tiberius Kirk, and Leonard Horatio McCoy." He cleared his throat, trembling. "I saw it. I saw it, damn it. It was only a visit but I got a good look to see what happens. And yes, they are in storm troopers. Apparently, our counterparts died in their youth. What was left of them was put into a insane asylum."

"Thank you." Samantha said.

"I need advice." John said. "How does one break up with Jim Kirk?"

McCoy Prime paused as Kirk Prime was calling, "BOOOOONNNNNESS! I HEATED UP DESERT!"

"Be gentle." McCoy Prime said. "Tell me that we looked alike this time."

"We did." John said. "I am sorry, Lenny."

"One minute, darlin'!" McCoy Prime shouted off screen. "When the other Lenny died, how easy . . . just how easy. . . Just how easy was it for you to pretend bein' him?" He stared at the screen. "How the hell did you do it?

"It was easy," John said. "I moved him into the driver seat. I switched identification after checking his identification card." He rubbed the bridge of his nose briefly closing his eyes. "After I got better, Samantha had claimed the body. We buried the body on the McCoy lot."

"He didn't have a family." Samantha said.

"And David," John was choked up. "David said he pitied wherever the man who almost killed his son was. He believed me. He fuckin' forgave his son's killer, but you know what? I haven't."

McCoy Prime's face softened.

"Hinek!" Spock called.

"I AM COMIN',DARLIN'!" McCoy Prime called back.

"Hinek. . ." Samantha said as a smile grew on her face. "That means Bones."

"I will send you a message further on what to be aware of. Any death relatin' ones. The Shore Leave Planet is the largest one you have to be aware of . . . The second is xenopolycythemia." McCoy Prime's face grew dark. "And the third for,for the sake of your two lovable nerds, Khan Noonien Singh. Preferably, the USS Botany should be destroyed on sight. But that would be wron' but it would be ethical."

"How can it be ethical?" John asked. "Killin' is never ethical nor is it all right."

"Let's just say: he gave us pain than joy in our golden years." McCoy Prime said. "This is your road to take, and yours alone, John."

John nodded.

"I understand." John said.

"How close were you to Leonard before his passin'?" McCoy Prime said.

"He called me Uncle Reaper." John said.

"Goodbye, for now, John-" McCoy Prime said.

"Wait, if you ever come aboard . . ." John interrupted but the words would not come out.

"Call him Doctor McCoy." Samantha said.

"Good night, Nurse Chapel, Doctor McCoy." McCoy Prime said. "You know? I never realized how funny it is to greet myself." He had a old, wrinkled, but warm and wide smile. "If I was the McCoy of this timeline . . ." He glared at the marine with his eyebrows hunched down. "I would say: you are disrespecting' me not forgivin' yourself. McCoy out."

The screen turned black. Samantha turned the wheelchair toward her as tears started to fall down from his eyes down his cheeks. They were both scared and unsure about the future. But John, oh John, tomorrow was going to be the worst. And it was going to be hell. She was knelt down to his level as he brought her into a huge that she reciprocated. She, too, felt guilt. It was her fault that they hadn't gone to the mechanic for going to a stupid picnic. She blamed herself more than John blamed himself for it. But in turn that incident, it opened a whole new door and careers for them both. Leonard Horatio McCoy was a dead man and he was a hero for saving six hundred thirty-three lives.


	35. Chapter 35

Dorian's charger became complete. He checked his messages for his com terminal to find none, except for a loop video sent hours ago of a kitten falling over from Gary Mitchelle as it squeaked. He pulled up a file and sent back kitten spam to the man. Gary would get to it as soon as his shift was up. Dorian stepped out of the charger then came to the closet. The door slid open to reveal the uniform with the lieutenant ranking on the sleeves and the white regulation shirt underneath. There were some pants below with the rolled up white socks and white pants. The shirt, itself, was blue with a white stripe that went down ending at the lower section where the private part of humans laid. The black boots stood out against the uniform brightly that he set onto a stool in the bathroom. He slipped off the attire and put them into the laundry dispenser. The molecules of dirt would be eliminated and the attire returned. He stepped into the sonic shower. He turned in the direction of the wall the let the waste be evaporated off his person.

Dorian played some cat videos during the sonic shower. There were trillions of cat videos on Youtube. Youtube had become of the galactic internet. And was still widely used. Dorian smiled at the cat videos with his eyes closed. He stepped out of the shower acquiring updates for a medical file. The side of his face glowed a gentle blue outlining shapes. He saw Riez had recently acquired insomnia. Insomnia which could be helped and eliminated by some professional help. Elizabeth Dehner was a psychiatrist so he checked the file to see if he had been recommended to her. The description of Riez's nightmare indicated he was afraid of something. On a away mission. He put in a recommendation to the assigned psychiatrist Elizabeth Dehner. She was partially here to see how space effected cadets who hadn't finished their star fleet training. She could get through his shell and help him. Riez was a science officer, a intern, under Spock's command. Dorian slid himself into the uniform for the day. He was perfectly dry. The side of his face returned to the natural color. A message popped up in his comn terminal. He opened the message to find it was Doctor DeHail.

 _Dear M'Benga:_

 _You won't believe where I am._

"You are on Vanguard." Dorian said.

 _I am no where._

"Hm?" Dorian raised his eyebrow.

 _If you read this letter, well, by the time you are reading it. This was made to be sent when there was a transporter malfunction and I could not survive. I will be replaced by Lieutenant Sam Shaw. I am glad that we got to meet. I am saddened we couldn't meet up and share stories of our times aboard starships. Give the DRN's my best regard when you see them again._

 _Sincerely, DRN-109._

Dorian put on his boots and placed his communicator into his right pocket. He experienced dismay for the loss of his friend. He had a long face that he stared at in the mirror with hands on the sink. A good friend he had kept correspondence with had died to soon. Was it even intentional? Simon's method of passing haunted Dorian. And it broke his heart. There was nothing he could have done for either of their deaths. He sighed, letting go of the sink then walked out. His face was back to its brown color. He saw Chekov come out of a yeoman's quarters, with his yellow shirt over his shoulder and a dreamy smile on his face. That yeoman was a young male in his late twenties. Yeoman Rally came out in a long sleeved black shirt and had his muscular arms folded appearing to be annoyed.

"You better come back for our next Dungeon's and Dragon's game tonight!" Rally said.

"Oh, I vill!" Pavel said.

Dorian checked the young navigator's file. Pavel was sharing quarters with the yeoman, Rally, since he was an ensign and it was star fleet regulation that ensigns share the same quarters. It made Dorian relax at the knowledge. Out of the room came an unexpected person, Gary Mitchelle whose hair appeared to be disheveled.

"I am going to bed, asshole." Gary said.

"Hey, not my fault your wizard got brutually killed throughout the game." Rally said.

"He is not a wizard, he is just the games chewtoy." Gary said, using the wall as his balance. He was in his golden uniform that appeared to be on backwards. He had bags under his eyes. "I am not playing dungeons and dragons with you, again!"

"Hey, you never know,Gary," Rally said. "Your character might get the chance to kiss a general and sway him off from killing people."

"Stop it!" Gary vanished down the hall once he took a turn to the right.

Dorian looked over in the direction of Rally.

"What happened with him?" Dorian asked. Rally sighed.

"He is not always like this." Rally said. "He is more of a night person."

Dorian nodded his head, slightly.

"Night shift?" Dorian asked.

"That he is." Rally said.

"Say,who are you a yeoman for?" Dorian asked. "Your file didn't say."

"You didn't hear?" Rally said.

"No." Dorian said.

"I am Miss Uhura's yeoman," Rally said. His dark eyebrows shot up. "You don't really see a white man serving a black lieutenant."

"Actually," Dorian said. "I was stationed on a Vulcan vessel during my time on Vulcanis for a emergency retrieval of long lost Vulcans and their family recovered from a anomaly. Don't ask why their familys were there. It is complicated because they were not supposed to be there."

"Just how long were you there?" Rally asked.

"A month while the scientists were finding ways to work around the anomaly." Dorian said. "I saw white Vulcans serving black Vulcans, a lot."

"Oooh," Rally said, as his face brightened. "That is interesting."

"These Vulcans are on New Vulcan currently." Dorian said. "Used to be on Vulcans but every Vulcan I know are jumping at the effort to get themselves off the endangered list. At least the ones I had been fortunate to serve."

"Mister Spock is different from the others, or so I heard," Rally said. "What is your thoughts on him?"

"He is a unique guy." Dorian said. "Haven't really talked to him."

"Vulcans never take a break." Rally said.

Dorian laughed.

"That part is true. They don't believe in Shore Leave, either," Dorian said. "I wonder how their partners convinces them that it is logical to go on shore leave."

"That is a mystery best left unsolved." Rally said, then he went inside his quarters where he vanished.

Dorian headed down the hall. Just the beginning of a new day on the Enterprise, and probably bound to be refreshing boring. Which was a change from the urgency the ship was on. He came across Nurse T'Spol who was in the white outfit with a white top with a gray line going down to the side and had on white trousers which was different from the other nurses. Nurse Brackett was among those who wore the white skirt variation.

"Good morning, Nurse T'Spol." Dorian said, as he noticed her coming out of her quarters. She had her hair up in a bun and it looked natural for her. T'Spol refused to have her hair up in a pony tail. And she wore smoky black eyeliner that highlighted her eyes.

"Greetings, doctor." T'Spol said, her gray eyes looking over toward the man. "Is Doctor McCoy recovering?"

"He is fine," Dorian said. "Nurse Chapel is making sure he gets the appropriate help."

"I am pleased to hear." T'Spol said. "And you?"

"I am fine." Dorian said. "I feel a lot better that McCoy is somewhere I can easily know where he is." Truly, after he was reactivated. He felt uneasy being alone. Felt like he was missing something in his life. The missed snuggles. His hand only clutching onto the fabric of the bed. The embrace in bed. His face facing the side f the charger. Kissing the cheek of his partner before going to bed. Kissing the charger. Now? That experienced these phantom muscle memory had gone away. "I understand your parents were on Vulcan. Did they make it?"

"They have been dead for ten years." T'Spol said.

"But the files-" Dorian said.

"The files were wrong." T'Spol said.

"What do you mean they were dead for ten years?" Dorian asked, puzzled.

"Their files did not list Bendii's." T'Spol said.

"Oh my god." Dorian said. "I grieve with thee."

"They were not able to be evacuated," T'Spol said. "They blocked entrance into their quarters in the Vulcan Ward in the Vulcanm Medical Academy. Kaadith." She looked in his direction. "There is no need to grieve for what has been lost long before."

"I. . . you. . ." Dorian was almost speechless. "Your sister never said anything about them."

"My sister is none the wiser when it comes to matters like this." T'Spol said. "I am a hundred twenty-seven." She turned her head away. "I am at risk for developing it."

"I don't think you will get it." Dorian said. "You are the strongest nurse I know."

"That is pleasing to hear from you." T'Spol said.

"What about your partner and children?" Dorian said.

"They were on Vulcanis visiting T'Heli when the attack happened. Her mate had passed." T'Spol said. "I expect that you lost many of your colleagues." He briefly closed his eyes. "You can talk with me about this matter if you prefer."

"No," Dorian said. "I knew most of those bendii's patients who didn't make it to the shuttles. They were. . .." He started to grow emotional. "It still hurts. Sometimes I think I should call their Vulcan Attendys and request them to give them a joke or . . And then I realize they are gone. I can't call them. I cannot call them. Not ever. Not again."

"I am fortunate to have known none," T'Spol said. "But I still feel off."

"You feel like Vulcan is still around." Dorian said.

"Like it was never gone." T'Spol said.

"You know," Dorian said. "I wouldn't mind if it was Earth that went instead of Vulcan. It would have been a price I gladly pay."

"Do not say that, Doctor," T'Spol said. "Star Fleet would have fallen. And the efforts all the species who have joined since the conception of it will come to nothing." She looked toward the doctor. "How do you feel, today?"

"Actually," Dorian said. "A lot better than yesterday."

"As do I." T'Spol said. "I have been considering of allowing my spouse to participate in the Sehlat Breeding Program with our fully grown Sehlats that they took with them."

"So, what is the problem?" Dorian said.

"I believe they are too old to reproduce." T'Spol said.

"Humans, much like animals, defy the expectations." Dorian said.

"The problem is that the cubs will lose their mother after birth," T'Spol said. "And then their father."

"Do you know not how Admiral Archer's beagles defy the odds?" Dorian asked.

"That is with your kind." T'Spol said.

"I will let you in on a secret." Dorian said. "I am a medical android."

"A synthetic?" T'Spol said.

His eyes winced

"Android," Dorian said. "Please. But back to the point, wouldn't they be glad to be parents again?"

T'Spol paused, as they went past the night shift going in for a good rest.

"That is a excellent question, doctor," T'Spol said. "I believe the answer could be: yes."

"Like interspecies animals acting as parents to a abandoned interspecies wildlife." Dorian said.

"That," T'Spol said. "And female cats acting as parents to ducklings."

Dorian snickered.

"You are going to be having your own sick bay in no time!" Dorian said. "And you will be the best one to be known in your next assignment."

"Doctor?" T'Spol raised both eyebrows in surprise at his reaction. "I have just been assigned."

"I mean to say you will be a excellent head nurse." Dorian said, as they headed in the direction of sick bay.


	36. Chapter 36

"Wake up, John." Samantha's voice came.

John turned covering the backside of his head.

"Go away." John said.

Samantha rolled her eyes.

"It is eight thirty-three in the morning." Samantha said.

"WHAT?" John bolted from bed.

"Oh look you-" Samantha stopped. "Your leg. It's back." John fell back into bed. "John, what happened to your synthetic one?"

"The kka'ej transported it away." John said.

"The what?" Samantha repeated.

"The bracelet entity. Turns out it's a godly figure named after their Jesus figure who wore this bracelet on his right wrist all the time," John said. "Son of the virgin Ma'rie and their god. She was a virgin, by the way." He leaned upward "She was their revered mother. KKa'ej doesn't have a face, apparently, in his godly form. So I was told by a fourteen year old on Kerherzia. It's on my report."

Samantha brought the wheelchair over to the bed.

"I wasn't aware gods could take on entity forms." Samantha said

"But he was not a god," John said. "He was some entity."

"He nearly choked me to death." Samantha said. "And he transported you."

"I honestly think he is not a god but a entity of time," John said. "A third concerned party tryin' to keep his distance. And he had to do what had to be done. He didn't transport you because you were a nurse not a doctor and I think he somehow knew that," Samantha got him some civvies from his drawer. "Sam, I am on duty."

"No, silly," Samantha said. "Dorian is on duty. You are currently off duty until you can walk again."

John sighed.

"Good god." John said.

"Your dermal layer healed itself but the bones in the spine were considered to be capable of healing themselves," Samantha said. "Since you are healing." She closed the drawer. "I don't know why Dorian gave you four days because with a injury like that? Before I saw your leg healed, I thought it would take a hundred years for you to be able to walk."

"C-24 is takin' care of that." John wheeled into the bathroom where he could see the sonic shower had been readjusted into a sonic tub. He turned himself halfway in the bathroom. "Sam, this addition isn't permanent. . . RIGHT?"

". . . Let's take a rain check." Samantha said.

"SAM!" John shouted.

"At least you got a tub!" Samantha said.

"That is no way for someone with C-24 to live in." John said.

Samantha came in with her hair up in a pony tail then slid his communicator into the right pant pocket.

"Nice hair cut." John said.

"Thanks!" Samantha said. "Scle'ion gave me the hair cut." She patted at the side.

"It looks good on you." John added. "Did you do it for Nyota?"

"Me?" She put one hand on her chest, dramatically. "No."

John rolled an eye.

"Don't have to lie me about looking good for someone else," John said. "You are talking to the man who did the exact same thin' after the divorce."

The hair style was not heavy as it had been during the academy. She had cut it before they returned to the Enterprise. The 1960's beehive cut didn't feel space travel worthy for the two of them. And Roger Korby, partially, was the reason why Samantha was determined to return to space. He was a professor who was lobby star fleet to lead an expedition to the planet Exo III. She wanted to be there when he got it. To be part of the celebration, honestly, and to get herself transferred to that expedition as soon as possible. John knew that she was in a relationship with her professor and he disapproved of it because 1, she is older than him. 2, HE IS HER DAMN PROFESSOR. 3,THIS IS HIS SISTER. And four, he is not okay with her dating a professor.

"The last time time you said that, I was shipping off to become a space pirate." Samantha said. "Which was a genius way to spend my immortality."

"No, it wasn't," John said. "And I recall you came back _cryin_ '."

"I came back crying because I lost my ship to Star Fleet." Samantha said.

"And you were in shackles!" John said.

"Hey, it is not my fault my crew decided to kill people. I was doing research for how a crew could live with someone who is a immortal and not now about it," Samantha said. "The research paid off in the end."

"I had to break you out of it." John said.

"Do you need help getting undressed?" Samantha said. "And that was a one time thing."

"I got myself into them, I can get myself out of them." John said, then slid his shirt off. "Go take a shower, Sam."

"Go take a shower, Sam." Samantha repeated. "You sound like Dad." She rolled an eye. "Guess what? I took mine all ready."

"Dad was the one who woke you up every day, not me." John moved himself onto the toilet then tossed the shirt to Samantha.

"You overslept," Samantha said. "And Mom had to wake you up."

"I get that from Mom." John admitted. "Dad told me when we were camping on Mars. When they weren't bein' scientists."

Samantha smiled at the fond memory.

"Yes, you did." Samantha said. "And it is six fifteen."

"Damn it, Sam!" John said. "You could have let me sleep in."

"Then what would the point of my existence be without bothering you?" Samantha asked, sarcastically. "I cannot allow you sleep the day away." John had unzipped his pants and was having difficulty sliding it off. "Let me help you."

"I can do it," John said. "I don't need help."

"Uh huh," Samantha said, not convinced. "That's what my crew said before they were rebelled against me."

"Really?" John said. "The dissertation said it was 'Screw you'."

"That, too." Samantha said. She came over to his side then slowly slid the pants forward as he slid them down. She raised his leg up pulling the flannel pantleg forward. She was part of The Stubborn Eight. Legendary pirating group who smuggled and raided. The ones who raided starships, took their supplies of phasers, uniforms, pants, equipment,and needles and engineering equipment. She came across Captain Archer once during the Romulan War. Some say that being a space pirate is a earth bound career and that just confused John. They had to be nuts. It wasn't even planet side! "Remember how Mom was when it came to getting around after she sprained her ankle?"

"Yes," John said. "She was quite stubborn on hoppin' without help from Dad."

"And how he had to help her, anyway." Samantha said.

John smiled at the memory.

"How do you break up with a man like Jim Kirk?" John asked.

"Go somewhere private and tell him the truth." Samantha said.

"I can't do that." John said, with a frown.

"Your wedding vows, duh." Samantha said

"Ooh. OH." John said. "But that is like tellin' him down if he wants to marry me." He looked down with hands clasped together. "Which I doubt it."

"John, you seriously have forgotten how intimate and close you have become to Jim?" Samantha asked, with a incredoulus expression on her face.

"No." John said.

"Look, little brother," Samantha said, as she slid off the pants. "He is going to ask."

"After what happened yesterday?" John asked.

"Time is short and I think he knows that." Samantha said, as she noticed that he hadn't bothered to put on brief's last night. "You must have been tired than I thought last night." She slipped off his gray socks then put them into the pile of clothing she had gathered and moved them away from the tub. "Do you want help getting into the tub?"

"I can do it myself." John said.

"You have to say one word." Samantha said.

"I am not going to say it." John refused.

"John." Samantha said. "Immortal or not, you need help getting _in_ to the tub." She had her hands on her hips and glared back at him. "But . . ." She slowly took out her communicator. "I can call the captain down."

"No!" John shouted. "I am sorry sis, but no!"

She took out a small padd.

"There's a message for you from Admiral Tucker." Samantha said. "I will read it to you when you are in the tub. With my help." She placed it onto the counter then picked her brother up in both arms. She grinned."You haven't changed a bit since Jocelyn threw you out like a clean bone."'

"Sam!" John said, with a unpleased expression on his face. "Put me into the tub!"

Samantha laughed then placed John into the tub. The tub slowly began to fill.

"Admiral reading time!" Samantha said, in glee as she picked up the padd.

John sighed, in relief, feeling the brush of the jetting water around his body save for his lower limbs.

 _Dear Mr McCoy:_

 _We have recently found and destroyed your synthetic leg in the Olduvai facility._

John looked up, in alarm.

 _We have sealed the death trap off, so that no one or nothing can enter. The place has been thoroughly searched, categorized, and the remains have been appropriated. The bones have been sent to a museum. The sewers below were emptied out. We have confirmation that a group, known as the Rapid Response Tactical Squad, died. All of the bodies have been accounted for. We are in the progress of building domes on the planet for colonies to live and have patches of earth like environments under these domes. We will not make the mistake of Olduvia. If you would like to get a new leg not through the proper channels then please contact my good friend, of the medical track, Admiral Phlox._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Admiral Tucker._

"They got my blood. They got my blood." John said.

"Now, he said they will not make the mistake." Samantha said.

"How can you believe that?" John asked. "They are going to get the 24th chromosome and unleash hell. It will happens. It always happens. It starts out as natural curiosity and then it ends up here!" He gestured toward the tub. "I don't doubt their intentions."

"But you doubt the mad scientist part of star fleet." Samantha said.

"Yes," John said. "Such as a person like you."

"I get you don't want anyone to be doomed because of C-24 but they won't." Samantha said. "Trust them."

"That is hard to do." John said.

"Look," Samantha said. "If you like, we can have Dorian destroy all the evidence online if he sees they are looking into it." She placed the padd onto the side of the table. "He must have some knowledge on how to make a virus that self destructs a entire system worth of data."

There was a long pause.

"Actually." John said, head turned toward her direction. "He does."


	37. Chapter 37

The mess hall was quite wide. It might been wider than two rooms combined. It was Samantha who was wheeling him into the room. Riez was alongside Sanders, Jefferson, and Vall who John could recognize at first glance. Riez appeared to be cupping both sides of his face appearing to be unhappy. Sander was jabbing her fork at the egg appearing to be concerned of Riez. There were others getting their breakfast from the replicator using a wide blocky card. Star Fleet was still in the process of deciding to have vocal recognition to the replicator or having the card with the information of the food. She wheeled him toward the replicator line.

"Christine!" Nyota said.

"Your hair," Samantha gasped. "So curly and magnificent."

"My hair-" Her eyes widened as she padded along the curls of her head. "Oh shit."

"That's her unnatural hair." John said, jokingly.

"Pardon me." Nyota said, brushing past the two taking a orange card with her.

"You look cute!" Samantha called.

"Jokes aside," John said. "I really think she doesn't like her curly hair."

"Why?" Samantha said.

"Honestly, have you seen any women with black curly hair on duty?" John asked.

". . . No." Samantha said.

"It is messy and it gets in the way for her station," John said,folding his arms. "I assume,-" He shrugged. "-I don't see how but it does."

Samantha frowned.

"That's not true." Samantha said.

"She thinks it is true," John said. "Do you know how god awful that is?"

"Terrible." Samantha said.

"I want to you to tell her otherwise, and give a good hard reason why she shouldn't straighten her hair out." John said, turned to his sister's direction. "Be a woman and actively encourage her to be proud of her hair!" Samantha darted through the doors leaving John behind, calling Nyota's name. John was proudly smiling at his accomplishment. "She always fall for that encouragement."

John wheeled himself forward in line.


	38. Chapter 38

"Nyota!" Samantha called.

Nyota came to a stop with her hair up in a forced ponytail using both her hands to wrap it into one. She took out a plastic scrubby from her pocket then slid the band over the large hair as it expanded properly. It was a elastic, circular brown object. Nyota turned in the direction of the woman coming to a stop near the corner of the corridor. Samantha crashed against Nyota causing them to fall to the floor. Nyota laughed.

"Christine!" Nyota said.

"Sorry." Samantha apologized, getting off the woman. "I didn't mean to knock you down." She stood up then held her hand out for Nyota

"It is okay," Nyota said, taking the woman's hand. Samantha lifted her up. "God, your hair looks gorgeous."

Samantha brushed against her hair.

"You think so?" Samantha asked. "Scle'ion helped me get rid of the long hair."

"Scei'ion?" Nyota said. "He helped me and Gaila style our hair for prom." She waved at the ensign science officer coming past in a hijab. "Sabaah al-khayr, Amrah."

"Sabaah al-khayr, Nyota." Amrah replied, with a slight wave partnered with a bald woman who shared the same wave.

"Good morning, Ny!" Rachel, Amrah's friend, said, as they went past.

"About your hair. . ." Samantha said. "It looks fine just the way it is."

"I don't like it when get hair in my breakfast." Nyota said.

"Do you need a hair net?" Samantha asked. "I have plenty of them in my quarters."

"No." Nyota said. "That would be silly."

Samantha developed a habit of collecting hair nets during her days as a space captain. She had curled her hair and dyed her hair under the alias of Lanie "Mark" DeMarco. She hadn't exactly forgotten that. Her memory was excellent. It was superb compared to a Vulcan. It was also a curse. She remembered everything. Everything reminded her of the past. A past that was no longer around. John and Samantha were miserable for the past few years before that fatal accident.

"Or braid your hair?" Samantha followed Nyota down the hall. "Having braided hair reduces the chances of leaving stray hair on the plate. Your hair is gorgeous."

"Thank you," Nyota said. "But curly hair? No, sorry."

"Have you tried getting an afro." Samantha said.

"Never tried it." Nyota said.

"You should try it. It worked for me." Samantha said.

"I didn't take you for a natural curl." Nyota said.

"I am not." Samantha said. "I made my hair curly and then. . . I had problems. Annoying problems. Got in the way."

A memory flashed in Samantha's mind.

 _"Captain, did you just get your hair stuck in the vent?" Ryib asked._

 _"No!" Samantha said. ". . . Yes."_

 _"You should get it cut." Ryib said,_

 _Samantha gripped her long, red strand of hair. She loved her hair, truthfully, because it made her light blue eyes stick out like a necessity and it made her bold nature stand out. Her determined, free willing rebellious one straying away from the science part of her. The scientist part of her reasoned that she would be doing it for the sake of science and intrigue. To discover how a crew could live with a immortal captain. She also did it to see how she and her brother could fair out in space for the next millennia._

 _"Or I could stuff it in your mouth," Samantha replied. "Pistol it off, Ryib!"_

 _The Andorian first officer, Ryib, shrugged._

 _"Your loss." Ryib said._

 _Half of her hair was shaved off by the blast and what was left fell to the ground._

 _"My hair!" Samantha said, clutching the big ball of hall._

 _"You are lucky it didn't hit your skull." Ryib said, lowering the phaser pistol._

 _It did, but, that had healed damn fast._

 _"I will make sure to count my blessings." Samantha said, looking up toward the bob hair cut white haired Andorian. "What are you looking at?" She frowned, hunching her eyebrows. "Follow the others out of here!"_

 _Ryib turned away then went out._

 _"MISTER REESE AND MISTER FINCH!" Ryib's voice carried down the hall. "Get ready to disembark!"_

 _She was lucky that Ryib didn't suspect a thing._

Nyota nodded.

"Hair making problems is a nasty thing." Nyota said, as they made their way down the hall. "Sometimes I wish that I had Scle'ion cut my hair short up to this level." She gestured to the side of her head then made a cutting motion. "It would be better that way."

"Then you should get it cute," Samantha said. "Honestly, you look smashing in any hair style."

Nyota raised back an eyebrow.

"You really think so?" Nyota asked.

"I do." Samantha said. "You make blonde hair look like pasta."

"That's not true," Nyota said. "You make my hair look like . . uh. . ."

"Admit it, I got you beat." Samantha said.

Nyota smiled looking over in the direction of the woman.

"A black carpet." Nyota said. "That's it."

"Oh really?" Christine said. "And here I thought you would compare my hair to silk."

"Your hair is not like silk," Nyota said. "It is like a pretty, fine fabric."

Samantha felt a blush growing on her cheeks.

"Thank you." Samantha said.

Samantha looked at the woman's curly pigtail dancing from side to side. She hadn't seen a massive pigtail in quite a long time. The last time she had seen a woman with a pigtail it was a much larger one for big ropy hair. In quite some ways, it was like Professor Treeverse, the wife of Professor Who. Nyota noticed that she had exchanged her long whispy beehive hair style for a shorter hair style that had bangs and short hair that covered her ears. Her pretty light blue sky lit eyes stood out to the communications officer. And she looked adorable in that style. Over two hundred years and Samantha could not, at all, control the blushing when it came to flirting with women. Well, actually, men were a different story entirely. She could manipulate that blush but not for women. That couldn't be controlled. It was like a unpredictable entity that was part of her.

"I really like the new hair cut you have," Nyota said. "Did Scle'ion give you it by any chance?"

"Yes, he did." Samantha said. "In fact, it was his idea."

"It looks pretty on you." Nyota said.

"I am sure you will be rocking that hair cut." Samantha said.

"Today." Nyota said. "I'm making another transition. I am sporting a new hair style."

"Which kind?" Samantha asked.

"The one you are sporting." Nyota said. Samantha grabbed Nyota into a hug as the woman had a short laugh. She could smell the sweet,lax perfume on her girlfriend. She would have to remember that smell for the rest of her entire existence. "Christy, are you all right?"

"I am fine," Samantha said. "Just savoring this morning hug."

"I am glad I met a girlfriend like you." Nyota said, as she had one hand on the woman's backside.

Samantha decided, as much as she loved and cared about this woman, that she wasn't going to doom her to eternity with Dorian, John, and herself. It just wouldn't be fair. And ethical to watch her friends die around her. She couldn't be sure if her DNA was okay enough to be transformed into a super human. Not many people had the chance to become a quasi immortal. She closed her eyes, briefly. She will have more of these over the next hundred sixty years. Until the day her friend will no longer be there to share stories. Until she has to fake her death and watch over her like a hawk. Because she will. She wanted to say 'I love you' but that would hurt. Because everyone she has said it to has died. Except for her brother. How will Nyota handle seeing her old friend, young, unaged by the wrath of time, while she was aging gracefully. She could just picture the woman, aged up, looking at her with fond eyes. The new found wrinkles decorating her face.

Would she even forgive Samantha if she had used C-24 on her? She may not be able to reconcile over losing the ability to grow old with her crewmates and die. How would she even be able to start, at least, to handle the news regarding the secret? No, that would turn her into a fugitive. Someone on the run from being discovered. Constantly on the look out for someone discovering. Methods of which to fake their deaths. Forge new identities. Forge new lives and pretend to be different people. Nyota would excel at the langauge aspect of immortality. But it would be wrong doing it to her girlfriend. Someone who barely knew what the galaxy had in store. Even for considering the idea, it was painful to think of injecting it into Nyota. It would be wrong. It would be the violation of the promise John told her to make him after burning his identity John Kennex and handling a problem he personally made himself. It hurt her more to consider losing her or keeping her. Samantha let go of the embrace stepping back.

"Come on," Samantha said, with a light hearted smile. "Let's braid your hair until you get it cut."

"In less than a hour." Nyota stated, appearing to be unsure while leaned against the wall.

"With enough practice you can do anything." Samantha said. "And having time to your disposal."

"That is good enough for me." Nyota said.

Samantha smiled.

"Time," Samantha said. "Time is what I have a abundance of.

Eventually, if they became serious about committing a union, Nyota had to know.

"Let's go to my quarters." Nyota said, taking the woman's hand. "We can eat breakfast together."

It was like the whole world was shining upon Samantha. And Nyota was the only thing in it that mattered.

"That is a date I gladly accept." Samantha said


	39. Chapter 39

As John had expected, he clocked Jim sitting down by his side no less than one minute and forty-three seconds after getting his breakfast. "Morning, Bones!" nearly making the man drop his fork. Now, if he could punch the kid at the face for startling him then he would. But that would be unprofessional and on the grounds for court martial when there are people. Sure, he loved the kid. "Your wedding vows." He recalled what Samantha said. It was true. He couldn't keep his wedding vows. It was a mistake to marry Jocelyn but Samantha had found a way to fake his death in case this relationship lasted for years. It wouldn't work with Jim. It just won't. Unlike the marriage John had with Jocelyn where he foresaw what could happen. He could foresee it. As John had expected, Spock came to a sit alongside the captain.

"Hey Bones!" Jim said, placing a hand on the man's shoulder. "We are debating about the involvement of Doctor Lazarus and Commander Taggart."

"Doctor Lazarus is a asexual Mak'Tar capable of reproducing," Spock said. "Logically, in the event that he has a child, he will be capable of delivering the newborn."

"But what if it is Mr Tagggart's child?" Jim asked.

"Not possible. They are not in a relationship. It is Lieutenant Commander Tawny and Mister Taggart in it." Spock replied. "They are nothing more than friends." Spock raised his eyebrow curiously, at Jim, slightly tilting his head to the side. "Have you not seen all four seasons of Galaxy Quest: The Original Series?"

Jim nodded.

"Galaxy Quest: Alternate Original Series pretty much implies the relationship." Jim said.

"That was a reboot, and, Tazarus, was a forced pairing," Spock said.

"I thought that was Tawzarus." John said. "That part was forced. Not showin' Miss Tawny and Doctor Lazarus gettin' together in Iowa. All you got was 'Not showin' favoritism', a fuckin' kiss after bein' digitized from the Noradimo and the Noradimo eliminatin' the homeplanet of the Meechan. Now that, was forced."

"I agree." Jim said.

"That is a fair point." Spock said. "But the second movie was forced."

"Yes," John said. "It was. Too much panderin'!"

"That was the major problem of the film asides to the white washing." Spock admitted. "Very unfortunate."

"Which is why it doesn't count as canon per never bein' mentioned in Galaxy Quest: Beyond." John grinned. "But to be honest? I personally like Peter and Lazarus. I mean, there were a lot of subtle in the original series between the men."

"But it wasn't sexual," Jim said. "Relationship wise. And friendship wise."

"That is the part I liked most about it," John agreed. "It was a complete natural progression of their relationship on screen." He looked over toward Spock. "The relationship between Tawny and Taggart was unique, that I can admit to, regardless of her being the damsel in distress in the original series. ALL. THE. TIME!"

"My mother covered my eyes when we watched it on family night." Spock said.

"Your mother is wise." Jim said.

"Say, how is your mother, anyway?" John asked.

"She is satisfactory asides to participating in the Vulcan Reconstruction Program as a teacher." Spock replied. "She is taking part time classes and doubles working reconstruct the Vulcan Plant Life. Most notably the Vulcan Sky Flowers."

"How sweet." John said. "Your mother has a green thumb."

"That is is where I got my yearning for taking care of plants," Spock said.

John took a bite from his bacon.

"You?" Jim said. "A plant lover?"

"Plants are organic, living, sentient beings," Spock said. "Trees are capable of communicating."

"That's quite logical." Jim said. "Not like you tried to mind meld with a tree."

"I will not admit to such act." Spock said, then he took a bite out of his salad.

John swallowed what bite he had taken.

"Honestly?" John said. "Lando and Roc were totally supportive of Taggart and Lazarus."

"Which version do you refer to?" Spock inquired.

"The original Galaxy Quest: The Next Generation." John said.

"Mostly because it was regarding the NSEA Protector-D being commanded by a new captain. And the production was meant to ensure in easing the transition." Spock cleared his throat. "Between captains."

"Well, that was a holoprogram designed to emulate Taggart and it was cheap." Jim said.

"But never-the-less, it was real enough for Lazarus." Spock said.

"If your father had to have a relationship with a holoprogram, would it be acceptable?" John asked.

"Highly illogical." Spock said.

"Which brings to question, what do you think of holoprogram Taggart in a relationship with Ambassador Lazarus?"

"He was revealed to be a holoprogram years later. The real Taggart was stuck in a place called the Texum that did not fullfill to anyones desire and left them suspended in time preserved. He did not age nor did he feel hunger. Time was paused and the continous color of purple would have been bland." Spock said. "According to the forums, and to my mother, Vickerd had only been able to encounter Taggart through his conscience. Which explains the mass of purple. That was the color of all the souls trapped perpetually in the Texum."

"You didn't answer." John said.

"It was dissapointing. All the memories, every day they spent together could be deleted and starting with a clean slate," Spock said. "It was highly illogical to make that movie."

"And the ending of the movie made the decision of deleting the other Taggart too easy when they could have transferred the memory anegrams to Admiral Taggart," Jim said. "It was a emotional ending. Too emotional for this heart." John remembered being there when it reaired in theaters with his sister for the anniversary. And rewatching it again with Dorian. The scene made him cry more than it did to his sister.

"So you count Galaxy Quest: Protectors as non-canon." John said. And it was always fascinating to hear how everyone reacted to the movie.

"It never happened according to the creator." Spock said.

"Word of god said that?" John asked. Now that was something he had never heard. "Okay."

"It never happened." Jim said. "We like to ignore that."

"Agreed." Spock took another bite from his salad.

Jim took a bite from his cut steak.

"What did you think of Lando being paralyzed?" Spock inquired.

"It was sad." John said. John recalled meeting the man who portrayed Lando and shaking his hand. It was an honor to meet the man. "And bitter." But as not as bitter as his situation. He could heal and regain his lower body. "But very sad," He gestured to himself. "Unlike me, he didn't have the opportunity to feel his legs again in his lifetime."

"That was a shame his actor could not walk." Spock said, then he took a bite from the salad.

"Now, do you think there's a chance that Taggart and Lazarus could have raised a child together." John said.

"Hypothetically," Spock said, with a nod. "Affirmative. There is always a chance. Much as it is for Doctor Lazarus and Tech Sergeant Fred to become a union over their shared fond love of drinking."

"A chance for everything," Jim said. "Which did happen a few reboots ago."

John took another bite from his breakfast.

"Personally, I stopped watchin' that reboot when they became stranded in space and had to return to the alpha quadrant and the ship was stranded in space for the rest of the series! It should have been called Galaxy Quest: The Journey Home. All the show was focused about was the internal workin's of the ship rather than their away missions," John said. "Okay, there was some great episodes but the whole Yoo story arch was terrible. I mean, they should have stopped then before the franchise became ruined and lost all its teeth to the villains."

Spock nodded.

"It did lose its appeal after that reboot." Spock agreed.

"They should have made it a spin off rather than a reboot," John said. "They should have left it for the fans to write with that story. It would have been nice to have a franchise spin-off."

"They did have a spin off afterwards." Jim said. "Wasn't as good as the reboot."

"Because it was a set on a space station." John said.

"And deal with issues of religion and defecting." Jim said.

"Deep Space Seven was a good show." Riez said. "I am on season six, sir."

"You are lucky to have a fresh mind on it." John said.

"I really like the merchant/constable Tede who was this shapeshifting being." Riez said. "I enjoy his character."

"Riez is indeed." Spock agreed, as John continued to eat.

"Did you hear that Nurse Chapel is dating Lieutenant Uhura?" Riez asked.

"I was not aware of their dating." Spock said. "But I should issue them a congratulations,personally."

Jim beamed.

"That's nice to hear." Jim said.

"Oh my god, that's so cute!" Sanders said.

"I am going to tell them how happy I am for them when I see them," Jefferson said. "We will see how long they will last in space."

"I bet they are going to be the happiest married couple in the next ten years," Sanders said.  
"Or maybe not." Sanders shrugged. "Some women have been opting not to be married at all."

"And you?" Riez asked. The ensign's eyes went toward the woman.

"Sterile." Sanders said. "Not interested in having a impromptu baby I don't want to have."

Amrah was beside her friend Rachel sipping through a straw.

"Understood." Jefferson said. "I haven't decided my stance on having a child. Let alone raising one."

"I rather not have a child." Riez said. "My child would be mistaken for a Klingon rather than a human."

"Theoretically that your sperm isn't coded in Klingon DNA." Vall said.

"You might have a typical human child, asides to the obvious thing." Jefferson said, swirling to his forehead.

"Which would be strange for someone who is not Klingon." Riez said.

"For all things considered," Sanders said. "Your child won't have a crest on their forehead."

"I think there would be." Jefferson said. "Half human, half Klingon."

"No, he's actually part human so the child would not inherit it." Sanders said.

"If it is part of his DNA, lieutenant, the child would inherit it." Spock said.

"Daamn." Vall said. "I am sorry, Riez."

"It is best I don't have one," Riez said, with a sigh. "I do not wish for them to be treated as a outcast or taunted due to my . . . ." He almost choked on the word. "Klingon half." He looked over in the direction of Vall. "No need to be sorry, friend."


	40. Chapter 40

Samantha entered the commander's quarters at twelve forty-three shortly after her first shift had ended. She had her hands locked behind her back. Mr Spock had requested to meet her here. She had her lunch thirty-three minutes ago before he called her up. His quarters were moderatly relaxing and comforting. His meditation rug was no where in sight in the living room. Spock was sitting down in a chair tapping his fingers together. There were a series of padds on the table. She was puzzled. What could he possibly have that urgently required her attention?

"Mr Spock?" Samantha said, in the well lit room.

"Greetings." Spock said. "Please, sit down."

"What is this about?" Samantha asked,

"I heard you are dating my colleague Lieutenant Uhura." Spock said.

 _Ooh boy, he is probably jealous._

She frowned.

 _Scratch that, probably protective!_

"Her braided hair looks good with the curls." Samantha said.

"I am not talking about that issue." Spock said, as she sat down. "Have some tea."

Samantha picked up the tea cup that was all ready filled.

"Then what issue?" Samantha asked, then she took a sip. It was warm, and it tasted delightful.

Spock slid forward the pad.

"Your identity." Spock said.

Samantha looked down to see it was a padd that had a picture of her previous identity in the 22nd century with her arms wrapped around Ryib's chest and her legs around his waist while they were both smiling. Oh no, he knows. Her face turned to horror as she struggled to regain her composure. She was filled in fear as a sharp glare was daggering through her being. His brown eyes were staring back at her. She was deeply saddened. She took a sigh feeling over emotional than she should be. She cleared her throat. John wouldn't like this. He would not like this.

"What about it?" Samantha asked, raising her head up.

"Your name is Samantha Grimm, born March 22nd, 2020." Spock said. "You are a scientist like me. You are the sole survivor of the Olduvai incident." He slid forward the various other devices. "If you harm Nyota in any way I will inform the captain then Star Fleet HQ regarding your deception. The doctor would not be pleased to know the truth."

"Mister Spock," Samantha said. "I do not intend for that."

"You are immortal, and logically, you will," Spock said. "Do not hurt her."

"What kind of hurt?" Samantha said. "Breaking her heart?" She laughed. "I broke my heart too many times to break anothers."

"And yet." Spock said. Now she understood.

"If you are thinking I am going to break up with her any time soon in this century, you are wrong." Samantha said.

"You must be around if this become a serious commitment," Spock said. "You have to be there."

"You don't want me to leave her in this stage of her development?" Samantha asked.

"Precisely," Spock said. "It will ruin her. If she is accepting both sides of her sexuality then you have make sure you don't make it backfire."

"You don't want me to make her a cynical closeted lesbian." Samantha said. "You want her to be happy."

"She is my friend," Spock said. "And my crewmate. It is my responsibility as a third party to make sure of it." It was sweet, coming from a Vulcan pretending to be emotionless, to be interested in making sure someone kept their word.

"Long as I am around I won't." Samantha said.

Spock appeared to be doubtful.

"Around her in this given era." Spock said.

"I will be there, I swear," Samantha said. "I will find a way to make myself appear as though I am aging."

Spock was convinced.

She knew because he had a more pleasant expression on his face.

"Now to the next question, how did you become Doctor McCoy's close friend?" Spock asked. "Did you murder someone in order to take over this identity?"

"I am Christine Chapel," Samantha said. "I made the identity. It was easy to make this. This is the new me." She gestured toward herself. "And Doctor McCoy reminds me of my brother." She had a fond smile looking at the padd. "We bumped into each other after that air-car accident. He felt bad about whoever died."

She looked back up toward the Vulcan.

"There is a resemblance." Spock acknowledged. "But it can be explained by hinek being related to your aunt, Barbara Grimm and her husband Leonard McCoy." Barbara Grimm? She hadn't heard that name in years. "They moved to New York from California after a incident that nearly crippled her. Who worked as a doctor in New York City for some time. Their fully grown children moved to Georgia away from South Dakota due to being interested in helping others. Reason why this started is still as a mystery."

 _No wonder they shared a uncanny resemblance_ , Samantha thought with a smile.

"Hinek." Samantha said.

Spock took a sip from a tea.

"That means bones in Vulcan." Samantha said.

Spock lowered the cup.

"Affirmative." Spock said.

She half wanted to say, 'McCoy is not who you think he is.' but would he believe her?

"I should tell my great relative about that." Samantha said. "He would be pleased to hear that." She took a sip then swallowed it. "All right, Commander." She lower the cool cup to the small plate on her lap. "If this relationship does go further. . . I will find ways to live with her. And not break her heart."

Spock nodded.

"I am pleased." Spock said. Now was the perfect time to throw him off guard.

"Mister Spock, do you have a thing for the doctor?" Samantha asked.

Spock gave what was sort of a frown and a raised eyebrow.

"That would be illogical to be interested in a human whose arguments are very infuriating and very ethnical," Spock said. "I am not interested in Doctor McCoy." He paused. "All though the captain has been very endearing." She half wanted to scream and squeal at the same time. "After all, a relationship with Doctor McCoy would not last."

"True." Samantha blunt out.

Spock appeared to be baffled.

"You admit to that, as well?" Spock inquired.

"He is not the easiest man to get along with off duty for someone like you." Samantha said. "Though, when it comes to being on subject and giving someone a very thoroughly bullet point list of things he should be aware of. He likes that."

"Doctor McCoy and Captain Kirk are in a relationship," Spock said. "I do not feel obligated to intrude."

Her expression softened as she took a drink.

"Everything has to end, Mr Spock." Samantha said.

Spock lowered his eyebrow.

"Did he tell you that he is going to break up with the captain?" Spock inquired.

"No," Samantha said. "It is just lately . . . That previous marriage he had screwed him up. He still has some issues to work out." She took another sip. "It would be too soon to get married again for him."

Spock nodded his head in understanding.

"He has cold feet." Spock said.

Samantha smiled.

"That, he does." Samantha said. Spock didn't suspect a thing. "And you, Mr Spock?"

Spock took a sip from the tea.

"I am not interested in any person for the moment," Spock said. "I rather not develop attachments for when I have to return to New Vulcan to help my species repopulate."

Samantha's face grew long.

"But Mr Spock!" Samantha said. "You have an opportunity here to make a family."

"On a starship?" Spock asked. "Allowing children on starships is highly illogical as space is dangerous."

"I mean with the morning crew." Samantha said. "They would risk their careers for you. And you probably would do the same if it had to come it, if you did, besides, some captains I met in history were willing to destroy their careers for them. Even the previous captain of the _USS Hood_."

"Captain Rogewells." Spock said.

"She was a excellent captain." Samantha said. "My point being." She paused then took another sip from the tea. "They will save your life. And you, for a vulcan, would probably return the favor in a huge way," She began to feel uncomfortable talking about it. "But the ship losing you? I think that would harm ship morality. Maybe the captain as well. I can't picture out living a Vulcan in his late twenties." Actually she could, but the thought of Spock not living to his hundreds tore Samantha to pieces at it.

"That you will not." Spock said.

"Commander," Samantha said. "Rather you like it or not, you will make attachments and it will hurt like hell when you lose them."

"You have experience in personal bonds?" Spock said

"A few." Samantha said. "But I got better."

"I won't make personal bonds." Spock said.

"I mean a different kind of bond compared to psychic bonds." Samantha said. "I am sure you will understand one day." _When he knows the truth_ , Samantha sadly thought. She closed the taps on the padds one after one.

"You are likely correct." Spock said.

"Being in space changes you for the better and sometimes for the worst," Samantha grimly thought back to how she was when she returned. Always on the look out for someone to come right at her with a phaser. It was a common occurrance on her ship and it had been a pest but she enjoyed the challenge then. But adapting back to Earth was a rotten piece of trouble. Besides spending on Earth previously, before that, as a mechanic, being a space pirate was nothing compare to being a mechanic. John had to comfort her at night and assure Samantha that she is safe. Just what she had done creating that kind of atmosphere? She had to have screwed up somewhere along the way for the sake of 'immortals on a spaceship' research. She didn't know where it went wrong. "I decided this morning against doing what McCoy would probably have become angry about if I had done it in a few years down the road."

"Hypothetically, that would be turning my colleague into what you are." Spock said.

"I won't do it," Samantha said. "Imagine if I did that to you. Who wants forever?"

Spock became silent.

"That's everyone's reactions when I tell them that," Samantha said. "Cowards, fools, idiots, and morons. But not you. You are intelligent and I don't know you. But what I do know is that Vulcan's wouldn't want that."

Spock sighed.

"That would be a fascinating gift," Spock finally said. "And likely change perception of this galaxy." He loooked at her curiously. "Just how would it take to become what you are?"

"Blood," Samantha said. "And then being injected. Next is, waiting."

"Waiting." Spock repeated.

"To see if you turn into a mutant or not." Samantha said. "With a phaser."

"Did your brother turn into one, Miss Grimm?" Spock asked.

Samantha took a sip then swallowed it.

"Into an imp," Samantha said. "One shot to the head, one shot to the heart."

"I grieve with thee." Spock said.

"He was like a demon." Samantha lied, as her hands trembled. "It was painful." She looked up toward Spock. "That is why I am not giving the chance, I won't risk it. Not for anyone."


	41. Chapter 41

John sat in the observation deck in his wheelchair. He saw the stars and the fall out planets in the distance. He saw asteroids free flying in space. He was nervous the transporter and being beamed back to the ship didn't quite ease that. It had occurred to him that the transporter could end his immortality at any time and save him the trouble. He was there to see it work and have some glitches in the beginning when it was being tested. He was a technician back then who had to come in and repair the glitches. Humans went with docking ports when it came to boarding between ships. Then there were shuttle crafts used to enter the ship. He could hear the footsteps of the young captain headed his way.

John looked over his shoulder to see Jim had his hands behind his back.

"So," John said. "What did the admirals say?"

"We have a mission to the edge of the galaxy." Jim said. "When we get there, it will be the night shift."

"Oh," John said. "I thought they would suspend you."

"So did I." Jim said. "But apparently we didn't break the prime directive."

"I think someone did." John said. "All their UFO sightin's are stron' indicators that some federation friends have been illegally visitin'." Jim came to the man's side. "Hopefully, one day, we might catch them in the act."

Jim knelt down then slowly took out a small black case from his pocket.

"Leonard Horatio McCoy, will you marry me?" Jim asked, opening the lid.

John slowly closed the lid.

"Jim," John said. "I can't keep my side of the vows. You are goin' somewhere I can't follow."

"You are scared of the great barrier?" Jim asked.

"No," John said. "I am scared of outlivin' you, kid. Because there is a good chance I will. I can't follow you there. I can't keep my vow." John shook his head. "If I can't keep my vows with someone I love then how am I supposed to follow them blindly? If I could follow you to hell then I would," He meant that. It came from John's heart. "And I would say yes instead of this. I want to say yes but I can't."

Jim was half baffled, half heart broken.

"What are you saying?" Jim asked

"There is someone who can follow you blindly in life and that person isn't me," John said. "We both know there is some one better than me somewhere in this known galaxy waitin' to be noticed." He gestured toward the window then toward the room. "Hell, maybe on this ship."

Jim pulled back the black small container.

"I am never going to marry anyone else if they are not you." Jim said.

"Jim, no." John said.

"Jim, yes!" Jim said.

"Kid, you are goin' to have a empty house. You are goin' to meet someone great. A great guy you can put your life in their hands and they will be loyal to you. Loyalty, trust, and respect toward each other." Jim's face grew saddened. "Grow old together. Possibly serve on the same ship if that is even possible." He paused, thinking, briefly, back to their prime counterparts. "Share your golden years. By their side, as you always will be. I don't want you to be alone, Jim." John was fighting back tears placing one hand on the man's shoulder. "Promise me you won't die alone, damn it."

"But I will die alone." Jim said. "I have always known that."

John's right eyebrow twitched.

"The hell you will." John said, taking his hand off the man's shoulder. He squeezed the man's hand. "You won't." He cleared his throat. "We can still be friends with benefits." He looked up toward the younger man. "We don't have to be married to be the way we are." He wanted Jim to be happy and John's current future didn't allow that

"But I know you. I am sure that you are the one." Jim said.

"I was convinced with Jocelyn, but she wasn't the one, and I am not the one." John said.

"Are you breaking up with me?" Jim asked.

"Jim, look. It is good for you." John said.

"You are leaving me." Jim said, horrified. "And that isn't good for me!"

John sighed.

"I am not leavin' you, I am breakin' it off and I will always be there for you. Your wingman." He let go of Jim's hand. "I am sorry, Jim. But that is how it is supposed to be."

He wheeled himself away from the heartbroken captain. It hurt John more than it hurt Jim. He has done this a dozen times and breaking up is never easy. He wheeled himself into a private room and blocked the entrance way. It wasn't fair. Falling for someone who he will out live. He was too sympathetic. It was a gift and a curse. He cried into his hands. How his heart ached. Jim will never know how painful it is to live, forever. Jim didn't understand how John was sparing him the heartbreak. Preventing him from devoting his whole life from searching for John until his last breath. A fruitless search. Spock would ground Jim down to reality. John would watch them afar and worry about them. It was a fair cursed existence in exchange for Jim to be happy. Not to be constantly on the search. John leaned his head against the back rest of the wheelchair and briefly closed his eyes. His throat felt dry. He didn't feel like he could make any more tears. It was a storage room he had secluded himself into. He took a deep sigh then relaxed himself. He pulled the blockade away from the door way and put them back. John wheeled himself out to see couple of security officers, Jefferson among them, walking down the hall in the middle of chatting.

Time to wheel himself to his quarters and watch a few comedys to lighten his mood.

* * *

Spock flipped his communicator open after hearing it beep in his pant pocket.

"Spock here." Spock said.

"Mr Spock, this is M'Benga," Dorian said. "I tried calling the captain but he won't answer. Doctor McCoy has to attend to his physical therapy. Tried calling McCoy but he hasn't answered his communicator."

"I will inform the doctor." Spock said.

"You are a life saver, Mr Spock." Dorian said. "M'Benga out."

Spock stood up from the chair once saving information that they had gathered on a star they had been passing earlier. They were headed toward the edge of the galaxy. Which should be far fetched. But in reality, it was not. Warp Drive had improved drastically. The preferred warp speed was warp five. The fasted warp speed for emergencies was warp eight. Spock had closed his communicator then headed to the turbo lift and placed it into his pocket. He came into the turbo lift then turned in the direction of the bridge. He clicked the button that read deck five. He locked his hands behind his back. Spock had been repeatedly trying to contact his counterpart since they had last spoke. Ambassador Spock had given him the holo-emitter. Spock had taken the time since being assigned to the Enterprise to rewatch it when off duty.

The turbo lift doors opened.

Honestly, Dorian was not in the mood to get John and carry him bridal style to the recovery part of sick bay. It was decided by a vote with several nurses. Nurse T'Spol was selected to make sure he put some effort into it with some help. Now Spock knew none of that. He was heavily wrapping his head around the implications the holo-emitter had made. Could it be? That he was bound to the man in what he thinks could be possible? T'hy'la happened rarely. Once in a millennium. The man in the holoprogram was different to the one he had seen for the first time during the Kobyashi Maru. Spock knew the doctor's quarters. Jim's bedroom was between them. Scotty's quarter were set alongside John's. Spock made his way down the corridor. Spock had grown to look forward toward the doctor's rather unique way of bidding farewell, "Have a good fortnight. Don't let the bed bugs bite!" and ducking into his quarters.

Spock came to a stop across from the doctor's doorway. Perhaps he should ask the doctor what to do with evidence implicating a relationship. From a illogical, irrational human to a person who didn't have a idea if he should follow that train. Yes, that he will. Because quite frankly, it was logical. His counterpart had made a suggestion and informed him he could be at two places at once. Which was logical. What was also logical was that his counterpart was to blame for the loss of Vulcan. In a way rebuilding his society was his way of paying penance for what he couldn't do. Something that he was too late to do.

He will do it.

Spock had the holo-emitter in his pocket.

Spock entered the doctor's quarters to see it was dark and there were end credits. He heard groaning from the couch.

"Computer, turn the TV off." Spock said.

The TV turned off as Spock walked around the couch.

John's cheeks were a shade of red as he was laid on it with the side of his face covered by a pillow and there were some drool from the corner of his mouth. His hands were under his chest with his ass pointed up in the air. The doctor groaned turning his head toward the pillow. Spock came over to the side of the man then turned him forward in his direction. Spock sat down on the arm of the chair with one leg folded over his right knee. John's eyes fluttered open. "Computer, turn lights on by sixty-three percent." The room grew lighter. John had one hand over his forehead.

"What 'chu lookin' at?" John asked.

"You, in general." Spock said.

"Leave me alone and go bother someone else." John said.

"Doctor, you are needed in the recovering wing." Spock said.

"You are ruinin' my beauty sleep." John asked

"Computer, brighten lights by twenty-five percent." Spock said.

John turned over facing the couch.

"I take that you are going through a break up." Spock said.

John looked toward Spock.

"I had to do it," John said. "Don't listen to Jim's side of it."

Spock folded his arms raising his eyebrow,

"What does the captain have to say about it?" Spock inquired.

"That I was scared of marrying a man," John said. "I am not scared of marryin' a man."

Spock went silent.

"He proposed to you." Spock said. Spock heard his heart race and a string in his heart had been pulled.

"I declined." John said.

"You declined," Spock said. "How illogical for two men who strongly get along."

"No, it is very logical." John said.

"I have not overheard any friction between the two of you." Spock said.

"Jim doesn't even know that I am technically still married to my former flin'." John said. There was brief silence

"And who might that be?" Spock asked.

John didn't reply at first.

"Not my ex-wife. It's complicated." John said.

"I will not ask." Spock said.

"Thank you." John said.

"Doctor, you must go to your therapy." Spock said.

John sighed, placing his head against the arm rest with his hands on his chest.

"What if I don't want to?" John asked.

"You are sitting in the bottom of your misery and it is not recommended you remain this way." Spock said.

"What if I want to." John said.

Spock got up then slid the wheelchair over.

"That is not acceptable." Spock said.

John looked up toward Spock.

"By the way, I am bi." John said.

"Sa-ka-ashausu." "Spock said.

 _Sam,_ John thought, _what does sa-ka-ashausu mean._

 _Homosexual, you idiot. Samantha replied through their telepathic connection. You should have paid attention in Vulcan Culture Class._

 _My bad._ John shirked back.

John found himself smiling.

"Did I say something alarming?" Spock inquired.

"No," John shook his head. "It just sounded like a rough, ridiculous pairing name involving Sakura in Naruto." Spock appeared to relax. "I respect your language," He leaned upward with one hand placed onto his chest. "And it is undoubtedly interesting."

 _Did you know ko-ka-ashausu means lesbian?,_ Samantha asked, _maybe that's why you forgot._

"I personally detest that word." Spock said.

 _I didn't, but I do now. John replied._

"Because it is ridiculous for a vulcan term?" John asked, curiously.

"Negative, the stigma it leaves in Vulcans once said is . . ." Spock could not finish it.

"Oh . . . " John said.

"But you are right," Spock said. "It is a silly word often used to degrade Vulcans with this wired difference."

"And it's illogical to fear it," John said. "Right?"

Spock nodded.

"Affirmative." Spock said. "You must get into the chair."

"Mr Spock, I am not in the mood to do it." John said.

"You will never be in the mood, doctor." Spock said.

"How do you know? Not like you got into a scenario like this before." John said.

"Believe me, it has. Once." Spock said. "I had to euthanize my pet Sehlat, I-Chaya."

"Sehlat?" John asked. "Why does that sound familiar."

"The animals you had seen weeks earlier upon the destruction of Vulcan." Spock said.

"Are you tellin' me you owned one of those gigantic, huge animals from the packs that accidentally were beamed aboard the Enterprise?" John asked.

"The domesticated breed are smaller." Spock said.

"SMALLER?" John said. "They slobbered over me in the zoology department!"

"I find it hard to believe they go after you." Spock said, tilting his head.

"I came out with little to no scars but they nearly choked me laying on me," John said. "Now, I don't know why, but every cat clan does the same to me. I still don't understand how I attracted them in the first place."

Spock had a short lived laugh. Which startled John that he fell off the couch landing on the floor with a thud. Spock looked down in the direction of the doctor with a tilted head.

"Cats, all over you, now that is amusing." Spock said.

"I am tellin' you, man," John shook his hands. "God honest truth."

"I find that hard to believe." Spock said. Spock straightened his head. "Wild sehlats are feral beasts that can harm anyone. And they would have killed you."

"I don't know how the security officers and the zoologists lured the sehlats into the zoology department but they did," John said. "That should say otherwise. They were likely accustomed to the presence of Vulcans that they became domesticated. Or they are abandoned housepets."

"High illogical." Spock said. "Wild sehlats have been known to bite,kill, and cripple Vulcans."

"You don't want to admit at least some of them were former pets." John said.

"We do not abandon our pets." Spock said.

"There are some Vulcan's who can't take care of sehlats." John said. "Vulcans are flawed as humans. And they make mistakes with their pets."

"You suggest you were nearly killed by domesticated sehlats." Spock said.

"They nearly choked me." John said.

"And yet you are here," Spock said. "Why did you go to the zoology department?"

"Someone has to make sure the animals that were retrieved were fine." John said. "Several of them were carrying litters." Spock raised his eyebrow appearing to be finding that surprising. And highly convenient. "Help me up." He held his hand out for the man.

Spock's hand landed on John's forearm and his other hand on the man's backside. He lifted the man up then sat him down onto the couch with the man's legs on the edge of the couch. Spock sat down alongside him yanking his other hand back as the hand on the backside gently traveled to the man's shoulder.

"Doctor," Spock said, slowly taking out the holo-emitter. "I am in need of your advice."

"What kind of advice?" John asked. "I am not exactly good at Vulcan dating Vulcan advice." Spock raised his eyebrow briefly at the doctor. John shrugged. "I always thought it was done . . . logically." Spock lowered his eyebrow.

"You will understand once I play it." Spock said, then he placed the device onto the table. He pressed a button.

In a jet blue light appeared Kirk Prime, unaged, in uniform. Except this was different kind of uniform. It was red and black. He could see the white turtleneck part sticking out. His hands locked behind his back. The man was singing, softly, but in a otherwise sweet tone. There was a star fleet insagnia on the chest that appeared to be different. For a second there, John could see Jim forty years into the future except with a athletic build and his hair curled to the side and his saphire eyes stood out, unchanged for the few wrinkles that appeared and his graying curled hair. That image was replaced by the image of Kirk Prime in his minds eye.

 _"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you. . "_ The holoprogram had stopped with a grin. _"I know I know, it's illogical to celebrate something you had nothing to do with, but I haven't had the chance to congratulate you on your appointment to the ambassadorship so I thought I'd seize the occasion… Bravo, Spock — they tell me your first mission may take you away for awhile, so I'll be the first to wish you luck… and to say…"_ The holoprogram had a well meaning pause looking toward the recipient. _"I miss you, old friend." The holoprogram recomposed himself. "I suppose I'd always imagined us… outgrowing Starfleet together. Watching life swing us into our Emeritus years… I look around at the new cadets now and can't help thinking… has it really been so long? Wasn't it only yesterday we stepped onto the Enterprise as boys? That I had to prove to the crew I deserved command… and their respect?_ " The holoprogram paused, then waved his hand. _"I know what you'd say — 'It's their turn now, Jim…' And of course you're right… but it got me thinking: Who's to say we can't go one more round? By the last tally, only twenty five percent of the galaxy's been chartered… I'd call that negligent. Criminal even — an invitation. You once said being a starship captain was my first, best destiny… if that's true, then yours is to be by my side. If there's any true logic to the universe… we'll end up on that bridge again someday."_ The old man in the holoprogram paused, with a familiar grin on his face. _"Admit it, Spock. For people like us, the journey itself… is home."_

The holovid faded.

"That is the question." Spock said, then he put it into his pocket.

"Should you pursue a relationship with a man who might be your soulmate. Might be." John said.

"Affirmative." Spock said.

"I say do it before it is too late." John said. Spock looked at the doctor half in shock and half in intrigue with his furrowed eyebrows. "When I met Jim. . . . It was too late for me, but not for you. Try reciprocatin' when he touches you. He is goin' to make anime lovin' eyes at you, puppy eyes, and before it is too late, you will find yourself devotin' the rest of your natural life to his safety." John picked up a glass then took a sip and lower it to the table. "It is true." He looked toward Spock. "Don't make the mistake that I made."

"Which is?" Spock inquired.

John briefly closed his eyes, painfully.

"Making the worst mistake of your life." John said. "This mistake I made, no," He shook his head. "Not the worst. I made plenty. You know the mistake once you make it." He placed the cup onto the table. He looked over toward the Vulcan. "You have my blessin' to enter into a relationship with Jim Kirk. He is enterin' a new part of his life. The part he should have entered, later." He shook his head. "Much later."

"Doctor, it is vital you attend to your appointment," Spock said. "Do it for the captain and I."

"Why?" John asked, as he got a bad feeling about it.

"I will not give the idea of a relationship with the captain consideration if you do not go to the recovery wing." Spock said.

John folded his arms.

"Fine." John said. "But you better be the one who puts me back in."

Spock picked up John then placed him into the wheelchair carefully.


	42. Chapter 42

Elizabeth Dehner was in a blue shirt in a chair with black trousers sitting down in a chair with her legs crossed. She was in a variation of the uniform that had a black collar and a zipped to the backside. It was being used as a experiment to see if it were better than the current uniform. She had lieutenant ranking on her sleeves. The room was partially lit. Her blonde hair ended at her jawline. Riez was leaning against the window staring out into space with one leg crossed over the other and his arms folded. He was in casual attire uniform that matched his profession. A blue buttoned up shirt decorated in small, fluffy white clouds. One couldn't tell if he had bags under his eyes.

"What are the nightmares of?" Dehner asked.

"Personally, I do not understand why I was forced under temporary leave and ordered to be here in this room." Riez said. "It is silly to be here." He headed toward the door only to find that it was locked. He loved over in the direction of the woman. "Open it."

"Mr Riez." Dehner said. "I can wait all day until you start talking about the nightmares."

Riez sighed.

"You don't understand." Riez came back to where he had been. "What it means to me if I go on a away mission to a new world and people see me." Riez said. "I have much problems as it is with Star Fleet being suspicious of my genetics and the truth."

"What truth?" Dehner asked.

"I am a genetic mess." Riez said.

"Everyone is a genetic mess." Dehner said.

"You are just saying that to make me feel better." Riez said.

"We are all flawed." Dehner said.

Riez growled, turning in the direction of Dehner.

"Not everyone was turned into a Klingon!" Riez raised his voice pointing to his chest. "I am a freak."

"How does that make you feel?" Dehner asked.

"Angry." Riez said. "I feel that way. ALL. THE. TIME." He punched the wall making a dent. "Angry because my entire life was ruined. My childhood was ruined. I grew up faster than anyone. You understand? Some of my foster parents couldn't handle a Klingon-human child." He paced the room in a circle. "I grew up thinking that my parents were Klingons hat abandoned me. I was told the truth when I was fifteen." He cleared his throat. "I could never control my Klingon half when it came to letting my rage out. I got detention a lot needless to say in high school."

"That is common for young, troubled teens." Dehner said.

"They did it for my safety, I was told, but why would they meddle in genetics if they feared my safety?" Dehner said.

"Because they loved you." Dehner said.

"If they loved me, they wouldn't have done it!" Riez roared.

"Sometimes parents have to make hard choices to help their child. What were you like before?" Dehner asked.

"I . . . I was. . . I was different." Riez admitted.

"How different?" Dehner said

"I was five foot two and I was the perfect picture of a nerd. I had moles and freckles on my face," Riez said. "I used to be a red head. I used to be a happy little boy who didn't give a rats ass what they did to me."

"But your parents cared." Dehner said

"I didn't," Riez said. "I didn't want to fight anyone."

"FCE was used to help you." Dehner said.

"So I wouldn't break my head." Riez said. "I had weak bones."

"The forehead crest effect took care of that." Dehner said.

"They did." Riez said.

"They had good reason to turn you into what you are now." Dehner said.

"They could not have done it. What if I end up on a planet that treats Klingons like they are inferior, property, and not people?" Riez asked. "What if they treat me like a monster? I have nightmares because of that. That is why I chose to become a scientist but also because my interest in it."

"Because you want to undo what they did to you." Dehner said.

Riez gave her a incredulous look.

"I can't." Riez said. "This is who I am."

"But the nightmares." Dehner said. "You don't have to worry. You don't get assigned to away missions often for a science officer."

"It only gets worse from there." Riez said. "What if Klingons board the ship and mistaken me for being one of them? And they beam me out without my expressed consent." He sat down into the couch with a grumbled sigh. "I am terrified of living among Klingons. I am terrified of myself. That's why I don't share the same sleeping quarters with Ensign Amrah. I sleep on the couch."

"Don't you get neck cramps?" Dehner asked.

"They are the least of my problems." Riez said. "There are no options with these nightmares."

"I see only one option in getting over these nightmares, Dehner said. "Planning ahead for occurrences like these."

Riez frowned, looking up toward her.

"Why would I do that?" Riez asked.

"You are a large, but highly built well adjusted man," Dehner said. "Surely, you must have taken self defense classes."

Riez rolled an eye.

"I took the other route." Riez said.

"Which was?" Dehner asked.

"Learning not to pick fights." Riez said.

"But that was with people who did not meet your strength." Dehner said. "Surely, you know how to properly defend yourself."

"I played hockey." Riez said.

"Good." Dehner jotted down on her padd.

"Then speedball." Riez said.

"Excellent." Dehner said.

"Then soccer. Dodgeball. Basketball." Riez said. "I was a very good basketball player. I was too good at them." He waved a hand. "You can see where this is going. Right?" He looked back at the woman. "I don't want to hurt others. The last time I hurt someone was by accident and I nearly got them _killed_ with it."

"In order to prevent your worst nightmares, you have to do that." Dehner said. "You have to take steps in making sure it does not happen. We don't much about Klingons biology-" Riez protested, "Yes, we do!" waving his index finger. "Or how superior they are but they are in the same category as Vulcans." He lowered his hand. "Your parents made a mistake. And for that, you don't look like the person you described yourself to be. You were all ready black before, surely."

"I was born that way." Riez said. "I am pretty sure of that part. And my name is not Shirley."

Dehner smiled.

"Walk me through your nightmares step by step." Dehner said.

"I am assigned on a away mission with Doctor M'Benga, Lieutenant Jefferson, Lieutenant Hendrick, and Mr Spock," Riez said. "In this dream I am a sample collector. The captain is on the bridge, reason I do not know, but he does not strike me as the type who will stay on the bridge while his team is on a away mission." He sighed, his hands clutched together with them placed on his knees. "This is just one of my nightmares. I fear one day this ship will go into deep space."

"Go on about your nightmare." Dehner said.

"Mr Spock orders us to split up. He goes with the doctor and Hendrick. I go with Jefferson," Riez said. "I use my tricorder to collect data on the animals we find. One of the most intriguing ones are a unique type of alligator that has to be fifty years old. And it was very lazy. I cannot stress the laziness." He cleared his throat. "We stay away from the gator. I . . . I yank Jefferson out of the way when I hear a gun shot. Jefferson has been shot into his chest dead center where his heart is. I dragged him away from the gun fire. He was firing at them while dying." He put his hands on his face then rocked back and forth. He began to sound emotional.

Dehner handed the kleanex to Riez.

"It's okay," Dehner said. "Take as long as you need."

He sneezed into a tissue.

"Dying for christs sake," Riez said. "He is the one supposed to protect me not the other way around." He was trembling. "I took my communicator out and called the commander. There was no reply. I tried again and again. I was about to contact the Enterprise when I heard the firing had stopped from Jefferson. And I realized I. . ." He was holding his hands out. "I had dropped him. I dropped the man. I heard the firing. I had to contact the Enterprise."

"And did you?" Dehner asked.

"Ion storm interference." Riez said.

"Continue." Dehner said.

"I heard them. I had to make a run for it. I was supposed to be cataloguing the local animals and send the information to the zoology department." He shook his hands. "I ran. I ran. Believe me, I did, it was so real. But I didn't run fast enough. Or maybe I did. But the next I knew was that I was hanging upside down with my foot into a hunting trap. I saw them, humans, looking up toward me. They were in late 21st century hunter outfits. I requested to be let down but the worst part was . . . . It was coming out in Klingonese. I was cut down but they put me into a net and tossed me into a crate. Doctor M'Benga was attending to the first officer. Hendrick was, bleeding, from the corner of his mouth. The wood were dark and intimidating. I estimated that we had a low chance of survival given . . ."

"Given?" Dehner asked, raising a eyebrow.

"Doctor M'Benga informed me that their communicators were destroyed by the hail of bullets."

"So soon after being separated." Dehner said.

"It was surreal." Riez admitted. 'Time couldn't have flown that fast."

"Time can." Dehner said.

"The big wooden crate shook from side to side. And Hendrick cried out in pain, through the ride, Mr Spock lost consciousness. M'Benga went to Hendrick." He cleared his throat. "Attempts to resuscitate were futile. M'Benga checked on the commander's condition and he did not appear to be approving of it. When we arrived to the main population center, the doctor and I were separated. Mister Spock remained with me. I made it my mission to make sure no harm came to him. In fact, I made them angry at me then at the Vulcan. If you had heard the insults about him and the temptation they wanted to do, you would understand."

"I probably would." Dehner said.

"Then they came in and treated me like a monster." Riez continued to explain. "I hid Mister Spock under a pile of hay in our cell to allow him to recuperate from the injuries he had received. They strapped me to a wooden post and made me shirtless. I heard the sound of a whip. being dragged on the ground. I do know for a fact that they are loud and painful. The sharp pain on my back just stung. I refused to let them see my misery. I kept a straight face. No flinch. No yelp. Nothing to encourage them. I just annoyed them even more. They were shouting in some obscure language. I assumed they were being racist, xenophobic, and demeaning. While they were whipping my backside. They took the time to chain me."

"What do you think that means, internally, to you?" Dehner asked.

"That I am going to die in this nightmare in a grizzly manner." Riez said.

"Dreams are known to represent aspects of life." Dehner said

"Like fish representing pregnancies." Riez said.

"Exactly." Dehner said.

"There was no fish in it." Riez said.

"You were trapped." Dehner said.

"Yes." Riez said.

"Perhaps you feel trapped in this body." Dehner said. His hands squeezed against each other. He felt like the skin that he was in didn't fit him. It wasn't him. The body was a organic vessel only reminding him what he was not. "And being chained, perhaps it is that your Klingon half feels like it is being controlled and not allowed to live."

Riez briefly closed his eyes then reopened them.

"That's not the problem." Riez said. "The problem is, afterwards, I was savagely beaten and then I was put into a pen of others who were black like me and they were terrified of me. They stayed away from me." He cleared his throat, shakingly. "And then they surround me. I don't know what to think. And then I wake up with tears on my cheeks." He straightened himself up. "The other nightmares of me being taken aboard a Klingon ship are pretty simple. I get myself killed."

"And how do you feel now?" Dehmer asked.

"Better." Riez said.

"You know what keeps us alive." Dehner said.

"Phasers." Riez said.

"No, the fear of death. It makes us fight for our lives." Dehner had a pause. "Do you want to live?"

Riez was silent at first, then he answered, with his head loomed downwards, "Yes."

She jotted down a note.

"You have yet to co-exist with your Klingon half in peace, is that correct?" Dehner asked.

"I struggle every day with it. I fight it, and sometimes, I am not lucky." Riez said.

"How." Dehner said, looking up from the padd.

"I feel the urge to wreck this room. Everything in it." Riez said. "I am overwhelmed. I feel like I am in a human inside an alien body." He looked up toward her. "I feel like a stranger trying to retain control of a land that isn't mine." He put one hand on his chest. "I feel like I don't belong here."

"Have you tried the recently installed holodecks?" Dehner asked.

"A holodeck?" Riez asked, staring blankly at her.

"It's a virtual reality program. It has been unvieled. Perhaps you can have some rigorous exercise to let out the Klingon half." Dehner said. "That way, the two of you can live peacefully." She gestured toward the door. "Nothing is real inside of it. I suggest you attempt to use it."

"I have never seen it." Riez said.

"It is the exercise deck or the holodeck," Dehner jotted down a note. "Over learning self defense." She looked up toward Riez. "You, sir, must acknowledge the problem you have with your half and begin learning to defend yourself."


	43. Chapter 43

Jim had collapsed onto his bed. He didn't feel the mood to contact Carol Marcus. He just wasn't up for it. He had spent his morning shift on the bridge. But now, Jim just realized how alone he was in this room. It was empty and there was barely a sound. How would he get over Bones declining the proposal? He slid his hands over his face. He slid both shirts off. The gold and black shirt laid on the edge of the bed. He had his hands under his head staring at the ceiling. He had no idea what to do with himself. He was captain of a ship, fresh out of the academy, father-less but maybe not with Christopher Pike, a parental figure, and his ex-boyfriend. It felt like his heart had been yanked out quite unexpectedy. And how was he supposed to recover from that?

" _You are goin' somewhere I can't follow_." Bones had told Jim.

Where was Jim heading, anyway?

Jim narrowed his eyes at the ceiling.

 _Exercise deck._

A smile grew on the young captain's face: he got off the bed then retrieved red pants from the closet and closed the door.


	44. Chapter 44

They were getting close to the great barrier of the galaxy which was closer than they were yesterday. John hadn't anticipated seeing the great barrier to believe it. They hadn't achieved a workable warp drive that could get across the great barrier and get to the next galaxy in less than four hundred years. That was the estimated time it would take if the engines were adapted for the travel. He was feeling annoyed in the mess hall eating a burrito. He was eating a burrito because he ordered a chicken sandwich not a burrito. Apparently, Dorian had switched his card without the man knowing. Dorian unexpectedly sat alongside John in the middle of lunch hour.

"So did Samantha tell you?" Dorian asked.

John nearly spat out what he was eating.

"Tell me what?" John asked, annoyed.

"Mister Spock knows she is immortal." Dorian said.

John paused.

"And me?" John asked, hearing his heart race.

Dorian shook his hand.

"Not at all." Dorian said.

"He doesn't suspect a thin'." John said.

"God honest truth." Dorian said.

"It is a matter of time before he realizes it." John said.

"John, it's highly unlikely that he is going to figure it out." Dorian said.

"But what about you?" John asked.

"Medical android." Dorian said, giving the man a thumbs up. "Taken care of."

"I might have told Spock earlier that I am still married." John said. "Technically."

"Technically?" Dorian repeated. "You are not married to anyone far as I am concerned."

"Legally." John said.

Dorian looked over in the direction of John.

"Did you mention that they are on this ship?" Dorian asked.

"Spock didn't bother askin'." John said.

"Good, long as you don't bring them up and require me to make fake certificates for it." Dorian said.

"That can be done." John said, then he took a bite from the borrito.

"So, about your daughter . . ." Dorian said. "What should I get her for her birthday? When is it?"

John swallowed what he was eating.

"April 1st." John said. "2249."

"Nine years old?" Dorian said. "Okay, I have to consider heavily what a girl her age would want." The side of his face glowed. John's face grew alarmed as he covered the side of Dorian's face with his hand sharing looks to those who were walking past the table to the replicator. "Done."

John took his hands off the side of the man's head.

"What did you get her?" John said.

"The word surprising is meant to be 'not knowing'." Dorian said.

"I am not the recipient." John said.

"You are her father. So of course you are going to tell your daughter." Dorian said. "I seem to recall you spoiling the kid we were supposed to be making sure wasn't surprised by the gift his foster family was giving him."

John took out a photograph with a fond smile.

"Who do you think she looks like the most?" John asked. "I think she looks more like Samantha."

"She looks more like the original Leonard McCoy." Dorian said.

"Actually," John said. "Leonard McCoy, Sr, is my uncle."

Dorian raised his eyebrow back at the man.

"Your uncle?" Dorian asked. "You mean to tell me. . ." He paused. "But you two look nothing alike."

"My aunt married him," John said. "Barbara. Samantha and I did talk about that." He took a sip. "She was a nurse. She loved helping people. Our parents loved her. When we had family gatherin's on Earth we would gather around the fire and tell stories. Barbara told the scarier ones."

"You never talked about her." Dorian said.

"She was a unique individual." John said. "Though you could never tell if she was telling the truth."

"I see where you get that from." Dorian said.

"Hey, the first time I lied to you was rather new to me." John said.

"Because you never lied to anyone else." Dorian said.

"Yes." John said.

"What a load of bull." Dorian said.

"It isn't." John said.

"Tell me, what isn't a load of bull regarding you?" Dorian said.

"Remember all the things you learn from my fitbit." John said.

"Yes." Dorian said.

"That part is true." John said.

"What about your exercise therapy with T'Spol?" Dorian asked.

"It is annoyin'." John said.

"She is not annoying." Dorian said, insulted.

John shrugged.

"The procedure is. Just tryin' to walk. And my legs won't move. It feels like somethin' is wrong with me. Terribly wron'. It feels like I never walked before." He held his hands up in self defense. "I mean, I never had this problem before as a detective on the force."

"You never got shot in the back." Dorian said.

John shot a glare in the direction of Dorian.

"Yes, I did, plenty of times and I healed quickly," John said. "Samantha theorizes it is goin' slower this time around because the method of which my spinal cord became injured is something the body hasn't dealt with before."

"Have you ever been stretched?" Dorian asked.

"I can't say I have." John said. "I have done many, many, many thin's you wouldn't like. Bad thin's."

"You are a different person now. And that still does not matter: I am not telling you what I got for your daughter's birthday." Dorian said. "I can only say that she is going to be in love with it."

John looked over in the direction of Riez who was standing there in the middle of the tables wondering where to sit. He looked like a lost puppy, "Mr Riez, come over here!" and took a bite out of his burrito. The two scooted apart to allow in the Klingon who seemed to be sulking. John noticed the man had a scratch on the side of his cheek. Which was unusual to see from the usual timid, defenseless man. He would need a dermal regenerator to fix that up. He also noticed there were three fresh scars on the side of the man's cheek.

"Mr Riez," John said. "You should get that scar fixed."

"Nothing that harms me." Riez said, with a slight smile. "It will heal."

"That's the old barbarian era." John said. Riez twirled his spoon in the bowl. "And it can infected."

"Doctor," Riez said, as Amrah sat alongside John. "It is not as though I am going to lose my cheek bone."

"Don't say that." Dorian said, as he and John glared at Riez. Dorian held his hands out. "All right, I have a movie arrangement to hold for Scotty, Keenser, and the off duty engineer officers from gamma shift."

"Let me guess, it's the movie with the talking elephant." John said.

"No, we are rewatching Robert Downey Junior's take on Sherlock Holmes." Dorian said, getting up from the table. "Good luck with your appointment." He made the gesture of firing at the off duty officer with a wink

Riez looked over.

"Ah," Riez said. "You are still paralyzed, sir?"

"Yes," John said. "From the waist down."

"I feel pity for you." Riez said.

"Oh please don't." He took another bite from the borrito.

"Have you had dreams that later come true?"

John paused, then nodded.

"Bad ones, even?" Riez asked.

John shook his head.

"Good." Riez said.

John swallowed what he had chewed.

"Why?" John asked.

"Miss Dehner suggested that the ratio that they are appearing indicates these nightmares I have been having are per-cognitive." Riez shuddered. "Personally, I am terrified. I don't want them to happen. I do not. Period." He shook his hands. "I don't want my new colleague to die."

"Who died?" John asked.

"Jefferson, Harvey Jefferson in security." Riez said. "It was a grizzly death. But I never saw him die."

"I am sorry, kid," John said. "That you are goin' through that."

"I suggest you do some meditation." Amrah said. The two men looked toward her,

"Meditation?" Riez repeated.

"To relax yourself," Amrah said. "It also helps to be given a massage."

"That . . " Riez grunt. "Is not helpful."

"Actually, it is." John said. "It helped me a lot when I was stressed for finals."

"I use it when it is completely necessary." Amrah said. "For example, I participated in Yoga and learned in the brilliant method of relieving oneselfs mind." She took a sip from her glass then stirred the soup. "It is very benifical to a working environment."

"She is right." John said.

"I am perfectly relaxed." Riez said.

"You should try it sometime." Amrah said. "I do it occasionally as suggested by chief of science Mister Spock due to our potential long hours of working through various scientific problems."

"Where is Mister Spock, anyway?" Riez asked.

"On the bridge, probably." John said.

"I overheard he is listening to a mission that star fleet command is offering in the briefing room." Amrah said. "I heard rumors that he may be asking for transfer in the next year."

John spat out what he was drinking then smacked his chest.

"Mister Spock?" Riez said. "That is absurd."

"He just joined." John said. "Why would he leave so soon?"

"Beats me." Riez said, with a shrug.

"He is likely considering where his efforts should be most useful on." Amrah said. "Vulcans are always the analytic kind."

"Have you ever been Sherlocked by a Vulcan?" Riez asked.

"Yes!" Amrah said.

"It's the worst." Riez said.

"Yes!" Amrah said,

"It's like they know what we are going to say." Riez said.

"Which is annoying as endearing as it is." Amrah said.

"Personally?" Riez said. "I am glad I am not in a relationship with any. . . Or became entagled in one."

"I used to be in a relationship with one. But it did not last." Amrah said.

"Oh. . . oh. . I am. . . so sorry." Riez said.

"She survived the USS Mayflower being destroyed." Amrah said.

"My bad." Riez said.

"We had dutys and dreams. But she couldn't keep hers." Amrah said. "Duty to her species, she claimed. I respect that devotion."

"That is terrible." Riez said. "And tragic."

"But thanks to it, I have learned a lesson." Amrah said.

"And what is that, Miss Abbasi?" Riez asked.

"Not to have everything set in stone when it comes to space." Amrah said.

John had halfway eaten the burrito when he heard that, and he lowered it thinking back to what had most certainly been set in stone. Jim getting kicked out of Star Fleet because of cheating. Jim dragging him to become a loyal medical space pirate. That was all if Vulcan had not been destroyed. Spock would have likely become the Vulcan determined on catching them and bringing them to justice with their crew. Samantha would have followed John to space, surely, and would have been highly amused that her brother became a space pirate. She would have been the nurse to attend to the crew. He still would have not met Dorian again, not likely. Jim would have surely gotten himself killed as a space pirate and slipped before John's eyes as his husband at the age of thirty-If Jim was that lucky.

"Space is unpredictable." Riez said, with a nod.

"How are you feeling, doctor?" Amrah asked.

"Fine." John said, then he took another bite.

"What he means to say is that he is not happy." Riez said.

"You are not fine." Amrah said. "You are acting like the captain as of recently."

"I heard he is going through the relationship blues." Riez said.

"He is just exaggeratin'," John said. "He will bounce back. He always does." And John will be dammed to hell if he was not there to make sure the kid was alive. Those previous Kobyashi Maru tests, the ones he had been told about, indicated he would have died if there wasn't a medical officer on the bridge. And it hurt John that he couldn't be on the bridge and be efficient as usual to make a miracle. He made a vow to himself to make sure that he be assigned to the kid's first command. Someone had to make sure he didn't die on the bridge. Spock was a reliable Vulcan. But Spock had no idea about human biology far as John was concerned.

"Did you hear about the new starship under construction to be named USS Muhammad Ali?" Amrah asked.

"Muhammad Ali . . ." John said. "Now that is impressive by Star Fleet standards."


	45. Chapter 45

John wheeled himself into the recovery wing. T'Spol was sitting down reading a novel when her eyes perked up in the direction of the screeching from the wheels against the floor. She lowered her novel placing a long red book mark into it then placed it onto the counter alongside the chair. The floor was carpeted in a gentle blue. There was a large window that showed the passing space outside. Streaks of stars passing by. The dots of asteroids drifting in space. The black background of the scenery behind the glass was a gentle reminder of just how humanity came. John thought it was unnecessary and reminded him bluntly that his medical career as quite possibly over that is his paralysis may be pernament. Forget Samantha's theory, healing may have stopped all together in his bones.

"Doctor, it is pleasing to see you." T'Spol said, coming over to the side of the rail.

John wheeled the wheelchair over to the side of T'Spol.

"I feel like this whole therapy is useless," John said. "Feel like I am never going to walk again."

"Do not be in denial." T'Spol said, bringing the wheelchair over to the rail. "As Surak once said, we find hope in the impossible."

"Surak said that?" John said, shooting a glare. "I don't think so. That isn't quite logical."

"You will be surprised that Surak taught us to control our emotions, not suppress them." T'Spol said. "Like Jesus, he was around teaching us to be tolerant and peaceful."

John's glare softened into a bewildered stare.

"But I thought. . ." John started to said.

"We do have emotions," T'Spol said. "But unlike humans, we rely on logic."

"I was told. . ." John started to say.

"All lies." T'Spol said.

"So if I am told a Vulcan doesn't have emotions then they are lyin'?" John asked.

"If their emotions are in the way of their duty, they are bluffing," T'Spol said. "But if their emotions are not in the way, then they are not lying. Vulcan's cannot lie."

"Bluffin' and lyin' are the same thin'." John said.

"We are very good at what we do." T'Spol said, then held her hand out for the doctor.

John took her forearm then she pulled him up.

"Apparently." John said.

"Grab onto the rail, doctor." T'Spol instructed.

John's right hand gripped the side of the rail.

"Now attempt to walk." T'Spol said. "Slide yourself." She slid her arm off from the backside of the Doctor. "Just like we did yesterday." John felt like he was trembling. He slid hands forward on the cold, icy railing as the Vulcan nurse was alongside. "Relax yourself, doctor. You can do it. I believe in you."

Being in Marine Boot Camp was less difficult than this. Withstanding the stupidity of reckless, hot headed men in Marine Boot Camp was practically a challenge that he gladly accepted. It took his mind off the loss of his parents. Shipping right into boot camp. Fifteen year old John cleaning the old style toilets for punching out a kid for bringing up about Olduvai. He grit his teeth. John sighed, sliding his hands forward dragging his feet behind him. Hope was a strong factor in John becoming a Marine. Hope that he forgot what was his fault for the death of their parents. The incident, running in space suits, outside in the airless scenery chasing after his sister.

Now if Sarge were here-

 _"Reaper, move your fine tuned ass!"_

Now that threw John for a loop making him fall to the rug with a thud.

"Are you all right? T'Spol asked, kneeling down to his side.

"I am fine," John said. "Did you hear that?"

"Hear what?" T'Spol inquired.

"Someone yellin'." John said.

"I did not." T'Spol said.

"But I heard a man yellin'." John said. "Loud as can be." He heard a stray snicker. It didn't come from stone faced T'Spol.

"You must have been mistaken." T'Spol said.

"I am not mistaken." John said.

"Come on, get up, doctor, and try again from the start." T'Spol took his hand lifting him up. "My apologies." She yanked her hand back when he grabbed onto the rail and lifted himself up. "I did not mean to touch your hand."

"You are forgiven." John said. "Didn't see anythin' nasty in there, did you?"

"I only saw a tall man resembling Dwyane "The Rock" Johnson from the historical movies made in the late 21st century in a marine outfit with armor." T'Spol said, her hands locked behind her back. "That was unbecoming of me."

"It is fine. . ." John shook his hand. T'Spol straightened herself up. "It just sounded like The Rock."

"I am sure it did." T'Spol said.

John returned his focus on straight the path ahead of him.

"I did not die for this." Came that familiar voice, again. Sarge.

It sounded close.

"No, you didn't." John said.

T'Spol had the expression of concern flashing on her masked stoic expression.

"You didn't get out of Olduvai to give up," Sarge's voice went on. "Not yet."

As though Sarge was by his other aside leaning against the rail. He could feel his presence which sent the hail on his skin going up. It was quickly becoming chill worthy and goose bumps worthy. He surveyed the room to make sure he wasn't running mad. He was not losing his marbles quite yet. John felt numb in his lower legs. His lower body parts felt like unnecessary appendages that were not part of the body. He lifted himself forward feeling his entire being tremble listening to, "Yes, yes, yes, do it!" If Sarge was here, he would have one hand on the man's backside for support and his eyes on the rail ahead. "Move that leg, soldier."

"I can't move it." John said, lowering his head.

"You had a little bit of success yesterday." T'Spol said.

"That doesn't count." John said, snapping to the direction where Sarge's voice came from.

"Yes, it does." Sarge's disembodied voice and T'Spol agreed at once.

He could feel an incy, cold touch to his backside.

"I am here," It was Sarge. "I have always been there. I forgive you for killing me."

"Just talkin' to myself, nurse." John said, with a smile.

John was losing his goddamn mind.

"I went nuts, I admit that," Sarge went on. John turned his head away from the nurse then faced the direction of the rail. "You would have gone insane if you lost your crew the same way."

"Whose to say I would have killed innocent civilians?" John asked, under his breath. "That was a immoral, unethical choice." He slid himself forward keeping himself balance. "Children and families. All of which were not infected." He felt a tingling sensation from his pinkie toe. "I wouldn't have done it. I would have kept them safe and killed these bastards. I wouldn't kill an innocent officer doing what was right."

"You were a medic." Sarge said.

"So?" John asked. "Medics lead squads of their own."

John overheard that familiar sigh.

That sigh when Destroyer and Duke would have an argument racing and beating one of each other to a certain game stop with the newer game consoles. Sarge intervene into their argument and solve their problem by suggesting something else. Marines were intelligent men, but, they also had their moments. If they were lucky, Duke and Destroyer would go underground racing under the cloak of night. Duke was a pretty good racer himself in his spare time. Duke wore a bandanna over his head and throttled the engines when the race was about to begin. John and Sarge attending in the audience section. The stocky, Amazonian like women with muscles holding up the glowing screens to indicate when it was time to go. The dust and smoke kicking after the dozen so cars. The loud cheers that would come out of the crowd. What a time to have been part of it.

"What if you lost that kid to some event like Olduvai during a mission?" Sarge said.

"I wouldn't." John said.

"You would have." Sarge said, flatly. "You would have unraveled. Panic, fear, and aggression. It happened to me. Who says it won't happen to you?"

"Me." John said.

"No." Sarge said.

"I am a stronger man than before." John said.

"You feel too much. You still do." Sarge said. "You are no different."

"The hell I am." John said.

"Look. . . It happens to the lot of us. You are bound by duty not to allow humanity to be destroyed. He has got a good heart but . . . He still has the chance of mutating." John's eyes closed. "Having to watch someone you love dying before your eyes." John opened his eyes. "I understand you don't want to see that again. But it will. When you are on a mission to retrieve."

"It won't happen to me." John said.

"We are all human, Reaper." Sarge said.

John's grip on the rail tightened, bending it.

"I wouldn't." John said.

"Look, if you are paralyzed, how can you help him? Save the captain, for that matter." Sarge said. "You are a doctor, not a soldier." John slid himself even further using the rail as his support with some difficulty. "You can't always be there. You are not going to be there on missions."

"I will." John said. "You are wron'."

"Then why are you still gripping on the rail, soldier?" Sarge asked.

John's grip on the rail slackened.

"Good point." John said.

He let go of the rail.

"There you go." Came the warm comment from Sarge.

Safe to say, John didn't fall.

"Doctor?" T'Spol asked. "Can you feel your legs?"

"No." John said. "I can. . ." He looked down and sent the command to bend his knees then lower his legs to the floor. They didn't budge. John did feel wiggling sensation from his lower toes. "I can feel my toes." A smile started to grow on his face. "I can feel my toes?" As he looked off into her direction and his hazel eyes started to brighten. "I can feel my toes!"

"That is good, doctor." T'Spol said. "You have achieved balance. Now you need to relearn how to walk. Let's start from the basic. Crawling is a major part of a toddler's development. And it could, theoretically, work with you." John frowned. T'Spol held her index finger up before he could talk. "However, most recoveries don't start with regaining balance one day afterwards."

"I am not goin' to crawl every where." John said

"Just your quarters would be preferable." T'Spol said. "Let's continue with this-" She stopped when she saw the rail was bended. "Now how did that happen?" She raised her slanted black eyebrow that it vanished through her hairline briefly then fell back down. John had a apologetic smile, "Sorry, my bad." Then he bended the metal back what it had been before. "Doctor?" She couldn't explain it. "How. . . . How illogical. I am not going to ask."

John sheepishly smiled.

"Is there other better ways to help me learn how to walk?" John asked.

"I know a few." T'Spol said.


	46. Chapter 46

Amrah was monitoring an experiment she was posing with a lifeform recently created by accident by a biologist and chemist back at the academy. It was an unusual star fish like being with scales and spikes. It was being fed by small fish that were being grown inside the zoology department for the sake of science. It was interesting how star fish were able to eat the small fish with their small mouth under their bodies using their limbs. She dropped a small fish into the tank. There was a small neural transmitter inside the rainbow fish. The other science officers had dubbed it: LGBTian. Due to the color changing.

LGBT turned purple then snatched the small fish with its one limb and yanked it under.

"Interesting." Amrah said, then she jotted down a note on the padd.

Sanders came into the laboratory.

"How is our doinmuslim ders sg?" Sanaid.

Amrah looked in the direction of the taller woman.

"'LGBTian' is doing excellent." Amrah said. "And Muslian is better as a species name."

"Muslian does sound a better." Sanders said. "But she doesn't have something that looks like anything remotely Muslim."

"They named a species of monkey Skywalker hoolock gibbon." Amrah said. "We should submit the idea of naming it Muslian due to its nature of praying in the directions of the morning prayers." The two limbs of the LGBT raised up. She looked down toward the pad then back toward the LGBT. "It is afternoon prayer." She jotted down a note excitedly. "It can keep track of time!"

"That is amazing!" Sanders said. "I didn't expect that to happen."

"It wasn't in the first report," Amrah said. "It is coming far for a new species."

"But the big question is," Sanders said. "How do these animals get population control?"

"The marine biologists can figure that one out," Amrah said. "I am just studying it." She placed the padd onto the side of the table. "Excuse me, I have a prayer to attend to."

Sanders watched the woman leave then she turned toward the little star fish. Sanders lowered herself down to the level of the starfish. Sanders placed a hand on the window. She couldn't believe that humans, like herself, with the help of Andorians, had created this beautiful creature. The small fish were swimming around in the tank. LGBT slowly crept after the fish, slowly, but surely it did. It stopped when the fish turned around like a frozen statue. She tapped on the glass lightly. LGBT did not stir. She put her hands on her knees cooying at LGBT. She didn't notice time passing by. Sanders heard the footsteps of Amrah coming back into the room.

"You are so cute, aren't you?" Sanders asked. "Yes, you are."

"She can't hear." Amrah said, with a short lived smile.

"So?" Sanders said. "That doesn't stop fellow scientists from complimenting brilliant works of science." She straightened herself up almost towering over the short five foot two woman. Sander was a six foot one woman without the boots while in trousers and in a blue buttoned up shirt with the gray Star Fleet insignia on the chest while the buttoned up shirt was over the black regulation shirt. She tapped on the window. "You don't hear this creature responding."

"We have yet to pull this girl out of the tank." Amrah said. "And start saying vulgar phrases."

"If they could do that, then the only language this lady would be speaking in is Andorian." Sanders said. "And then we would need a universal translator."

"But if it doesn't register the type of Andorian?" Amrah asked.

"We get Lieutenant Uhura." Sanders said. "Or Ensign Jenny. Most definitely Uhura."

"Exactly what I was thinking." Amrah said. "Do you wish to help?"

Sanders took out a pair of gloves with a grin resting onto her face.

"Any day, any place!" Sanders said, handing Amrah the large bulky gloves.

"This is a heavy girl." Amrah said. "Be careful. Don't startle her."

"Is it too late to call the little thing Patrick Star?" Sanders asked.

"Yes." Amrah said.

"Damn." Sanders said, as they carefully picked the LGBT up.

They carefully placed LGBT onto a silver platter. Sanders yelped yanking her hand back and held her hand by the wrist with a whimper. Amrah carefully slid the woman's glove off to see it was getting dark, puffy, and swollen. Sanders was about to suck on her finger when Amrah smacked the woman's hand, "No! We have no idea if this has new, lethal bacteria." Jefferson came walking in with Vall by his side holding two square devices with a top and their eyes trained on the screen. They were shoved together shoulder by shoulder and their eyebrows hunched. Vall was the first to look up in the direction of the women then toward LGBT. His face turned a striken color of white.

"Did you touch the LGBT?" Vall asked.

"With gloves." Jefferson said.

"Yes." The women said.

"This animal doesn't like you, even with gloves on," Vall said. "You should really get to sick bay."

Sanders's skin turned pale then she collasped to the floor.

"Sanders!" Amrah and Vall came to the woman's side.

Vall had placed his device onto the counter then helped her help with the help of Amrah. Jefferson saved his progress on the device then closed it and placed it into his pocket. Jefferson picked up the glove to see a hole in it. He shouts, "Get her to sick bay, now! We don't know what those thorns are doing to her right now." He looked over toward LGBT with a pointed glare. Sanders was speaking in gibberish with a noticeable slur. Jefferson jotted down another note regarding the spikes as the pair took her out of the laboratory. Vall placed the container of LGBT.

* * *

Nyota owns a little pug named Tommy. Tommy wore a loose pink collar around his neck. Nyota walked Tommy down the corridor as she was speaking with Samantha. Samantha was dismissed that afternoon by Dorian to have a relaxing time off. Mostly because, "Your shift is over and you need a break." There were some ensigns being more stupid than usual which lead to repairing to pinkie toes, repairing the skin using a dermal regenerator. Samantha had her hands inside the trouser pocket. She appeared to be curious about the dog looking down toward the little pet.

"Space is not safe for dogs." Samantha said. "Does it not occur to you that Tommy will get lost?"

"Relax, Christine," Nyota said. "Tommy knows what to do in the case of being attacked."

"Hiding under the bed isn't going to keep him safe." Samantha said.

"The closet will." Nyota said.

"The closet?" Samantha said.

"Yes." Nyota said.

"But closets don't open for dogs." Samantha said.

"Closets can open with a touch." Nyota said.

"Oh." Samantha said.

"Besides, he hid himself in the closet on the first day aboard the ship." Nyota said, taking the hand of Samantha.

"Tommy, you brave little pup." Samantha said.

"Fortunately, there is a part of the ship where he can relieve himself and I get to clean up after him into the garbage dispensary." Nyota said.

"Does the captain know?" Samantha asked.

"Spock knows. I am pretty sure Doctor McCoy knows. I am pretty sure the captain is aware." Nyota said.

"I find it hard to believe Star Fleet would allow you to have a pet. They don't allow animals in space." Samantha said.

"If I left my baby on Earth then he will find a way back to me." Nyota said. "Well, or, at least, escape from my parents. A space version of homeward bound."

"That would be surprising for a pup like him." Samantha said.

"You don't know the half of it." Nyota said, with a grin.

"Which half? The half that you purchased him from a shelter?" Samantha said.

"Actually, that was a lie. He came from a pet shop and got out of the store, during the busiest hours, followed my scent, followed me all the way to Riverside where I had met Spock." Nyota said. "It was through Tommy that I met Spock." Samantha looked down toward the little pug as they came to the edge of the corridor. "Which was by complete accident mind you."

Tommy ran around the two women.

"Where did you meet?" Samantha asked.

"We met outside the local bar. Hendroff was there, too, and so were the other men hitting on me." Nyota said.

"I can picture that part." Samantha said, with a small short lived smile.

"And so was the captain." Nyota said.

"Jim was there?" Samantha asked.

"A little more the same but on self destruct mode." Nyota said, with a hand wave.

"He is getting better." Samantha said.

"I agree with that." Nyota said.

"How did you two meet?" Samantha asked.

"Well, it was cheesey." Nyota said.

Suddenly Tommy moved quickly knocking Samantha and Nyota down to the side of the wall with a unexpected gasp. Samantha crash landed on Nyota. The two women laughed then looked over toward Tommy who sat down staring at them tilting his head to the side. They said, "Tommy." Tommy barked, wagging his wiggling tail from side to side with his tongue sticking out to the side. Nyota looked over to see that their ankles were bound together by Tommy's lease. He had bound the two together and tripped them over by a lease. Samantha looked over in amusement to their predicament then added with a light voice, "I think your dog wants us to get together."

"He never acted this way when it came to Spock and I." Nyota said. "And yes, he probably does." Their lips were above the other.

"Perhaps we should take this to your quarters. . ." Samantha said, pulling herself off.

"More appropriate." Nyota agreed, as they worked to untangle themselves.


	47. Chapter 47

Nyota had to lean forward onto her tippy toes to kiss Samantha.

Samantha is 5'9 while Nyota is 5'7.

"You are my tall queen." Nyota said.

"No, you are my tall queen." Samantha said.

"No, I am not." Nyota said.

"Sure you are." Samantha said.

"It's you who is the tall girl, sugah." Nyota shoved her down to the bed.

Nyota slid the red uniform off to reveal the black undershirt with long sleeves lacking the ranking but it did have the gray star fleet insignia on the chest to the right side. Nyota tossed the red dress to the side of the bed. The dress laid on the edge of the queen sized bed covered in a purple gray blanket. Samantha kicked her shoes off leaving them in front of the bed rest right alongside Nyota's high riding boots. Nyota slipped the nurses white skirt off as she kissed along her neckline. Samantha had a low moan while her long, soft hands laid on the linguistic officer's hips. Nyota paused, briefly leaning away from the nurse. She took off the regulation shirt. She discarded it to the edge of the bed. Samantha took off her nursing denotation shirt. Then the dark woman leaned forward, and asked, "Now, where were we?"

A smile grew on the nurses face.

"Here." Samantha said.

Samantha's hand traveled to the side of Nyota's left cheek then lightly stroked it. Then brought the woman forward and planted a kiss onto the linguistic officer's lips. The nurse ended it with love struck eyes at the shorter woman above her. Nyota purred as her lips traveled to the side of the nurses neck planting kisses. Samantha's hands traveled to Nyota's backside feeling around the bra straps. That is until she hit the clasp. There was a light click. The bra fell onto the nurses exposed chest. Nyota placed the bra to the side. Samantha kissed along Nyota's breast. The scene turned away from the bedroom into the living room through the doors. Tommy leaped onto the couch in the living room. He twirled around in circles until he sat down and curled into a ball. He placed his head down onto his paws.


	48. Chapter 48

Janice stepped from the coffee machine with a gray tray. She was whistling to herself in a familiar tune that she could not and can not get out of her head. She had been struggling to understand what the name of the song was. The past few days it has been echoing in her mind. She went to sleep last night with it on her mind. The white coffee mugs had the star fleet insignia in light gray. She walked out of the room past several security officers who had just recently got off shift. She went past several Andorian security officers who were huddled in a group playing against each other alongside the hall and there was only one dwarf sized human below them cursing at the game.

"I am not goin' to play that game, mister Hendorff!" John wheeled into the scenery.

"But it is fun, doctor." Hendorff insisted.

"Yes, it is!" Hendorff's pal, Ian, said. "My brothers beat it."

"What definition of fun has playin' a game that has a reputation of killin' someone the same way they died?" John asked. "And tell me your brothers did not beat the game by takin' roses around wherever they wet."

Ian opened his mouth to speak but then he closed it.

"Those investigations have turned out to be hoaxes." Hendorff said.

"But not the game!" John said, shaking his index finger.

"Someone has a bad sense of humor." Hendorff said.

"That's the point. The game gives you lives and it takes them." John said.

"Just because a rose can do the trick doesn't mean-" Hendorff started.

"It should be outlawed, damn it." John said. "I rather play Halo over that sick game."

She went into the turbo lift then turned in the direction of the hall where the three men were walking in the other direction. She pressed the number one button hearing a rumble of boots echoing down the hall. Almost as though on cue, Pavel Chekov and Hikaru Sulu came barreling into the turbo lift in almost a flash. She stepped to the side. Pavel was in a black and yellow shirt with his ensign ranking printed on the sleeves. Hikaru was in his golden but almost lime green uniform that didn't agree with him. She shared a smile to the men.

"Good morning." Janice said. "Coffee?"

"Thank you." Pavel said, taking a mug.

"Just what I need." Hikaru said, taking the young man's coffee.

"Hey!" Pavel said, then he took another mug.

"You were too slow." Hikaru said.

"Oh really?" Pavel asked, with a raised eyebrow. "I was not slow."

"Yes, you were." Hikaru said, as the doors opened.

The two men breezed past Janice into the bridge. Janice followed onto the bridge. She heard the beeps of the consoles. She saw Lieutenant Uhura speaking with Amrah. Amrah had her hands locked behind her back and she was quite shy. The Andorian,Ensign Pehi, and the Romulan defector,Lieutenant K'Kashi both got out of their stations by a single tap. She made her way to the captain's chair. Janice smelled a familiar fragrant. This was coming from the captain. She had smelled it somewhere. Was it Risa? Vulcan? Andoria? The united states of africa? Canada? It was so familiar yet on the edge of her fingertips. She couldn't identify it. She couldn't pin the name of it. There were many brands out there and this was quite different. "Say, when is the Coffee Girl coming?"

"Right here." Janice said, alongside the chair.

Jim beamed a smile at the woman then picked up the coffee mug.

"Efficient as usual, yeoman." Jim said.

"A yeoman must always be vigilant for when their assignment needs coffee." Janice said. "Anyone else needs coffee?" She heard plenty of, "Yes!" around the room except from Spock who had a tea cup on his station. "Hold on, does everyone like black?"

"Yes." Came some of the crew.

* * *

T'Spol returned to her second shift after dealing with John. Her heart rate was normal, far as Dorian was concerned, and she was doing fine. This was only the third day after the incident. They were getting very close to the barrier. Dehner had entered sick bay for a flu yesterday and was weathering it out thanks to antibiotics. Dehner was in her quarters under Dorian's recommendation. Nurse Wicks, Nurse Chelso, and Nurse Deforet, and nurse Brackett were currently on duty. The late night shift nurses were off somewhere else on the ship, most likely sleeping.

"How did today's appointment go?" Dorian asked.

"It went adequate." T'Spol said.

"Excellent." Dorian said.

"However, he did get frustrated," T'Spol noted. "His progress was hindered when he tried to force himself to leap over the rails which was illogical of him."

"He gets over his head easily." Dorian added. Sometimes John did let things get to his head. For example, vampires. Dorian recalled John bringing a modification of his gun with holy water when it came to solving a case involving blood suckers, sex bots, and hackers. John squirting a perp dead in the eye then Dorian using the opportunity to cuff the perp and tell him his Miranda rights.

"It appears so." T'Spol said.

Dorian handed her a pad.

"Kevin Riley is yours." Dorian said, then he walked right past her.

T'Spol looked up to see the man sitting on the biobed in a red shirt with several burns.

"Oh sh-" Riley said. T'Spol jotted her name down on the padd then picked up a dermal regenerator. "You again!"

"Affirmative, it is I," T'Spol said. "The Vulcan who you did not thank for sending you to the hospital for the appendix bursting."

"No, you are the Vulcan who told Professor Torres that I cheated in the warp core final!"

"You were cheating." T'Spol raised her eyebrow apparently stunned that wasn't why she was remembered. "And I recall using your friends padd to excell in it." She pressed the trigger to the dermal regenerator. "It was logical to inform the teacher."

Riley sighed.

"Have you played the game Stay Alive?" Riley asked. "Pretty good so far."

"No," T'Spol said. "It is a bloody, grueling game."

"But it's good." Riley said. "Very thrilling."

"Have you died in it?" T'Spol inquired.

". . . No, can't say I have." Riley said.

Dorian was at his desk overhearing the mention of the game. The bloody, deadly paranormal controlled video game. He remembered the rash of disgusting murders that Dorian and John had been handed to solve. Dorian died in the game. And it was due to that game that John finally admitted to the android that he loved him in their second year as partners. John beat the game after several hours bent on solving the case, which in reality, was simply playing the game. Stahl and Paul brought the suspects in to the house. John was determined that if he won the game then it wouldn't kill Dorian. The third player of the game, a house squatter (in John's house), had died in the same way that his character had. And that was only on the balcony outside. John used the game as a interrogation technique and left the poor suspects in the room surrounded by killers since they knew intimate knowledge of the murder itself. It was only by faking Dorian's death to the game did it stop.

"Have you played the game?" T'Spol asked.

"Yes." Riley said.

"Then how is it fun if you haven't died?" T'Spol asked.

"Well getting through the game and defeating the head ghost." Riley said.

"The head ghost must have a name." T'Spol said.

"I don't remember her name, honestly." Riley said.

Dorian came over.

"Is it called Stay Alive by any chance?" Dorian asked.

"Yes. It was recently brought back-" Dorian turned away then flipped out the communicator. "We have a slight problem."

"HOLD ON, I AM BEATIN' THIS CRAZY SON OF A HOG WITH A MACHINE GUN!" John shouted. "Call me later."

"That game." Dorian said. "You are playing it."

"Of course I am-" John is cut off by Dorian said.

"Do you have a rose?" Dorian said.

"I don't need a rose." John could be overheard.

"Yes, yes,you do, I am getting a rose forn you and I will give it to you," Dorian said. "Whose quarters are you in?" He listens then nods overhearing laughter, "And don't make me activate my romance programming." He lowers the communicator coming over to Nurse Beckett and Wicks. "I will be gone for an hour, think you can take care of sick bay?"

"Yes, doctor." Wicks said.

"You have been on a marathon since McCoy has been recovering," Beckett said. "Go enjoy your romantic evening, please."

"All right," Dorian said. "And it's Elizabeth Bethory." He turned in the direction of Rilety. "And she was buried alive in a tower. She is called the blood countess. Don't forget that." He walked out of sick bay putting his communicator away into his pocket.


	49. Chapter 49

There was a meeting arranged for the admirals of Star Fleet. Alexander Marcus didn't seem to find the idea of dismantling a video game because someone did not like it appealing. Shatner sat down into his chair alongside Nimoy who had kiss marks along his neck that were a shade of purple. Shatner looked over toward Nimoy then wrapped his own purple scarf around the man's neck. Shatner was a bald short man with some faint resemblance to a certain Admiral on New Vulcan who he had yet to meet. His hands clasped together on the table. Phlox was sitting beside Nimoy fighting back a snicker. Pike was alongside Shatner appearing to be annoyed. Alongside him was Admiral Deforest, a medical admiral, tapping his fingers on the table with one hand cupping the side of his face. Roddenberry sat alongside Barret who had black puffy hair elegantly designed and she seemed to have pitch black eyes lacking pupils.

Tennyson, Clinton, Lewiston, O'Hara,Archer, Tucker, and T'Pol were seen about the table. That was just a small percentage of the standard number of Admirals. So there was rows of empty chairs at the long table with rounded seats with backrests to them. The table was glowing a gentle blue with a metal edge all along. Some of the admirals had their hands on the table and some were leaned back with their arms folded and a few were playing with their fingers. Marcus was in deep consideration about what had just been told. Pike seemed to be serious about this discussion.

"Chris," Marcus said. "I understand your source said that this game is dangerous."

"It is." Pike said.

"My research says the same." Archer agreed.

"Games are perfectly healthy for people to relax." Phlox said.

"But games don't kill people in real life." Deforest said, bitterly. "Have you heard of the complaints?"

"What complaints?" Shatner asked.

"The parents." Deforest said. "Now, I have been doing my best to explain why their sons and daughters have died tragically for absolutely no reason at all in the medical side of thin's." He shook his hand. "I have to agree it is fun. But we are goin' to run out of roses."

"Did you play it?" Marcus asked.

"No, I played a hack version." Deforest said. "I died three times." He held his three fingers up. "Both of which grizzly. One of which was the same method a percentage of the nurses have been dyin' lately in our ships. The second method was unusual. An accidental hanging. Third was being egregiously deformed. Which HAPPENED LAST WEEK ON THE USS HOPE TO A AWAY TEAM!"

"Did they live long?" Pike asked.

"Ten minutes, tops." Deforest said. "Captain vaporized them."

"Them. . ." Phlox said. "No." His face was turned into horror.

"Five people." Deforest said. "I don't understand why it is so popular in the medical community."

"Because it is interesting and gives some deaths to be alert of." Phlox said.

"Which will never be treated because, I quote, "How the hick does a game kill people in real life?" unquote." Deforest said. "We have to get rid of the game.

"Which will never be treated because, I quote, "How the hick does a game kill people in real life?" unquote." Deforest said. "We have to get rid of the game."

"That could be coincidences." Marcus said.

"I am the head of security of star fleet," Shatner said. "The former was Koenig. He played it."

"Didn't he die of suicide?" Roddenberry asked, concerned.

"And this is probably got nothing to do with the deaths." Phlox said.

"Nothing to do with it?" Deforest stood up. "Nothing?" His eyebrow twitched. "Look," He pressed a button showing a holoprogram on the table. "This is the method of which Commander Ripley lost her security squad. They played it on a padd when stranded on a away mission earlier this year." The game began showing the group being well armed in game. "They were playin' the beta version before one of us decided to OKAY THE ROTTEN THIN'!" Marcus had a serious expression on his face. He turned toward the screen. "Computer, play!"

Pike and Archer watched in horror as the players one by one were killed until Ripley's character came out unscathed. Nimoy was distraught about the recording. The first officer of the ship had died in the game and so had some officers that were not security related. It was a disturbing video that Deforest forced them to see on through. "Computer, terminate program." He faced the direction of the other admirals. Roddenberry appeared to be sick. Barret appeared sad and concerned.

"That. . ." Phlox said. "Is no way for someone to die."

"And they did." Deforest said. "Which one of us was approached by a video game expert and allowed this to be played in space of all places?" He shook his fist. "How many people are we goin' to let die before it is terminated?"

There was a long moment of silence as the admirals considered it. It was like walking on needles being in the room with the men and women. Alexander Marcus was considering this heavily. It was a bold statement from the medical admiral who was retiring this year at the age of ninety-seven. He was always on his feet and nothing stopped him. He was a private man when it came to his home life with Carolyn Kelley, his pet tortoise Myrtle, and little Rex. He had aged quite well asides to the health scares he had over the few decades. Roddenberry sighed. Clinton and Tennyson were not happy.

"We should destroy the building itself." O'Hara said.

"That buildin' was destroyed long ago." Deforest said, certain of it.

"Would you be surprised if I had told you otherwise, De?" O'Hara asked.

"Perhaps not." Deforest said. "We have a tendency to rebuild."

"Alex, who ever lives there should be evacuated before it kills them." T'Pol said. "The game killed its maker over three hundred of your years ago."

"True." Marcus said. "We have to kill it with fire."

"Alex . . ." Roddenberry said.

"Did you play the game?" Pike asked.

"Can't say I have," Marcus said. "I sent my daughter and her son to a family friend." Pike went through his hair appearing to be uneased about this and nervous. He lowered his hand looking in the direction of the man. "Relax, it is not like I am going to be killed in a painful way."

"That can happen." Pike said.

"Should we bring in Takei and get him to speak with the game experts to turn the game off planet wide?" Lewiston asked. "Legally, we are obligated to inform the game companies regarding this? Takei has been quite good friends with the Brad Company manager."

"He is married to the manager, Lewiston." Shatner said. "Stop calling them good friends. We are in the 23rd century not the 21st!" He leaned forward with his hands on the table. Nimoy grabbed his shoulder. "Do you want to go with me to the house where the blood countess was buried?"

"I am a legal professional, and engineer," Lewiston said. "The only reason Brad still has his job because of the contract clause indicating how to refer to a same sex spouse."

"Why you little a-" Shatner started to get up but Nimoy pinned him down by the shoulders.

"Men!" Marcus said. "Lewiston, you do have to make sure the buIlding is properly destroyed, this time around, after the game has been terminated."

Shatner cleared his throat.

"Sir," Shatner said. "May I lead the charge?" He shed a smile. "Just for old times sake."

"No, Billy," Marcus said. "You are not needed for this." The older man's eyes landed on the dark haired man beside Shatner. "Nimoy will be going."

Nimoy was alarmed, at first, then started, and then humbled.

"I . . . I would be pleased." Nimoy said.

"A science admiral is not needed for destroying a buildin'." Deforest said. "You are essentially orderin' him to die in what he is not versed in."

"I played the game and beat it." Shatner said.

"Highly illogical to bring a man his age." T'Pol said.

"Someone has to know what they are doing." Tripp agreed.

"He hasn't gone on a away mission since accepting admiralcy," Phlox said. "And also, his son's wife just had a child." He looked toward Nimoy who appeared to be confused as though his son didn't have a child. "And someone with extensive knowledge with the countless should go in instead and kill her after the termination of the game."

"Very extensive." Archer added.

"Someone who has a death wish." Barret said.

"Someone who can get in and get out of it in record time." Clinton.

"Someone who is not here." Tennyson said.

"Not George Takei." Barret said. "Not him."

"Someone we can legally use and not sound like we are throwing them under the bus." Lewiston said. "Someone who is both expandable, resourceful, and young."

"Someone who won't die." Deforest said.

"A gamer." Pike said.

"You want a game designer to help you get rid of the woman and then destroy all evidence of the game?" Marcus said. "Suppose I like this idea."

Deforest nodded.

"It's a grim mission but it will do." Deforest said.

"I hate this idea." Phlox admitted. "But then we have lives on the line."

"But then we are treating them like red shirts," Shatner said. "On the off-chance that they do survive, what then?" He stared in the direction of Marcus. "What do we do then with them? I don't want to cover this up. History has its eyes on us and we shouldn't attempt to lose the public's trust." He stood up from the chair. "I have a granddaughter who is in labor. That is more important than being part of a conversation regarding what to do afterwards."

"Bill, if you walk out of here, then we are going to deny your involvement." Marcus said.

"So be it." Shatner walked out.

* * *

Pike had a frustrated sigh. He didn't really like the solution to their problem. This game designer had never played the game. Never been threatened by a game itself. Space was supposed to be the leading cause of death not a stupid game. It was a stupid, stupid, stupid game. Pike had personally attended to the funeral of a colleague who had played the game. Riley Congill had been in the academy with him and they promised each other to be on the same ship if one of them had become captain. He was going to be a security officer. Instead, Pike watched the man fall apart when a civilian friend of his, who played the game with him, died the same way his persona had been killed off in the game. The screen beeped to life. There he saw John and Dorian sitting on the bed. John had a bruise on the right hand side of his face.

"Doctor M'Benga punched me out and played the game." John said.

"Worth it." Dorian said.

John applied a bag of ice to the side of his face.

"Because you died." John said.

"It was with full intention." Dorian said.

"You were ambushed." John said.

"At least it wasn't you." Dorian said.

"The game has been terminated." Pike said.

"That quick?" John asked. "You can't destroy a game from the entire quadrant in under two hours."

"Actually. . ." Pike said. "It is going to take roughly a week to get rid of the game thoroughly from Star Fleet systems." He shook his hand. "Now, could you possibly tell me why you bothered to contact Admiral De, Admiral Archer, and I-And how did you get my comn number?" He sent a glare in the direction of the two men. "I have not given you my number let alone my kids and Jim."

John smiled.

"Admiral Archer and Dorian are very good friends." John said. "He is a DRN model."

"Oh." Pike said, as he leaned back into the chair. "And I suppose you are a DRN model like him?"

John laughed, then so did Dorian as he slapped his knee and fell back giggling with his hands on his stomach. John went to the side then took Dorian to the side where Pike overheard what sounded to be them speaking in Spanish. Pike did not understand what they were saying much as it annoyed him not to know. The laughter subsided. The two men came back onto the bed sitting on the front.

"No." John said. "Just a human born on Mars."

Pike laughed.

"That is a good joke." Pike said.

John nodded.

"What McCoy means to say is that he wishes." Dorian said. "And that we owe you."

"We owe you bi' time." John said. "Anythin' you need, we will find a way to do it."

Pike rubbed his chin.

"I got one thin' you can do." Pike said. "Make sure Jim doesn't get himself killed to save the crew."

Dorian and John shared a glance then looked toward Pike.

"Define the method." Dorian said.

"We need to know in case of future instances where saving his life may require. . . doubtful methods." John said.

"So we can point the finger back at you." Dorian said, bluntly.

"And get a punch at the face for all the right reasons from I-can't-take-celery-for-vegetable." John said.

John and Dorian shared a fist bump.

"Make sure he doesn't get killed in his first year." Pike said. "You are authorized to use any methods possible."

"Sir," Dorian said. "May we rope in Commander Spock?" Dorian's hand traveled to the side of John's thigh. "Three is better than two."

"That would be helpful." John said.

"Do that," Pike said. "I promised Winona after he went to the academy. Pike out."

The screen turned black.

"Dorian, what was that for?" John took the man's hand off his thigh.

"We can't do it alone." Dorian said. "First officers duty is to the ship and to the captain."

"Do you want Spock to even more aggressively not save his ass?" John asked. "When you can't save the commandin' officer then you need the first officer. That's what a first officer is for!" He shook his index finger side to side. "To replace the first officer. And if the first officer isn't there, that's why you have a second officer-like Hikaru Sulu-to replace the first officer! And if you don't have the second officer that's why you have the third. And the fourth. And so on. To Star Fleet, Jim is replace-" John's words turned to gibberish as he leaned forward dropping the icebag to Dorian's lap. Dorian wrapped his arm around the man's backside and slowly stroked his shoulder. John closed his eyes as tears were coming down.

The lights unexpectedly went out as furniture slid to the side.

* * *

Congill was nervous. What would anyone expect? He had spent the last few hours trying to best through the game in the pre-release version on a small padd. Attempting to make it to the blood countesses. He was in a long wide hover-bus with several security officers with long sniper rifle like weapons. The man had played many games before in his lifetime. He was a pro at this. This is what lead him into becoming a professional pro to be hired by the Brad Company. He was terrified. He wiped a bead of sweat off his forehead. He had gone to this building only three years ago as someone interested in buying it. It was intriguing as the house had been built to look exactly like the replica.

"Did you know a gamer had that building built for nostalgia?" Rookie, a black woman without her make up on, asked the game designer. There were groans exchanged inside the vehicle. They were not exactly ready for a informative member who give them infodumps. It was a pet peeve to those involved.

"Three hundred years worth of nostalgia." Khert said.

"After this mission, there will not be any more info dumps except from me!" The leader, a tough muscular woman at he front said. "Is that clear?"

"Yes, Commander." The men and women said.

Congill growled then smacked his fist on the device.

"I can't believe a gamer would unearth a game THAT KILLS PEOPLE and resell it." Rookie said.

"We have done worse," Congill said. "And we were on a mandate not to make any more anti-romulans plot."

"So you decided to make a paranormal game BASED OFF THE BLOOD COUNTESS?" Rookie raised her voice.

"Calm down, Rookie." Dom said, patting her partner's shoulder. "You don't want to get yourself KO-ed by your nerves."

"It was the only one we hadn't done yet." Congil said.

"Have you done a Lesbian ghost video game that still could scare the living crap out of the players?" Rookie asked.

"I am not the CEO of Brad Company!" Congill said.

"The storyline and the characters are in the heart of the video game like Dragonheart and Mass Effect." Rookie said. "Everyone matters when making the video game. Even the beta testers! God knows how many people you killed. You are a mass murderer.

"Excuse me," Congil said. "I am not a mass murderer! That's the blood countess!"

"She is just doing what she was summoned to do." Rookie said. "It is your fault."

"Even if I quit, they would have found another game designer." Congil said.

"No, not true." Rookie said. "You are the highest, well recognized game designers! You had a choice."

"Actually-" One of the latino members started to speak but was interrupted by the game designer.

"Everyone wants more gore, blood, and death." Congil said. "So excuse me for not being conservative! We are only giving the players what they want, and it is your own damn fault." Congill gestured toward a furious Rookie. "Hell, y'all played the game last night to get a rough idea of the lay out and what kind of hell we will encounter. You are all going to die in that house and no one can save you. Period! That is what you want!"

There was silence.

Dead silence as glances were exchanged as the scenery past them.

"You mean the game we just played is real?" Dom asked, as the realization hit her. The officers had the same expressions on their faces as they turned in the direction of the game designer. "WHY YOU SUN OF A BITCH, YOU TOLD ME IT WAS FOR ENTERTAINMENT for MY CREW!"

"It was!" Congill said.

"Tie that man!" Rookie shouted.

The scene transitioned to Congill at the front, tied up, at the front with a black eye while being gagged. It was dead silent and some of the officers appeared to have bruises, scars, and sweat dripping down their skin. Rookie took out a small holovid and replayed a video of her grandparents in their youth stumbling on the beach, laughing, while the camera was being held disproportionately. Some of the officers were terrified. They didn't expect their fates to be sealed beforehand. Of course they had friends who had died playing the game but they hadn't known or put it together until being told of why it was so important to go on this mission. She closed the holovid then placed it into her pocket. The hover-bus came to a stop in front of a large house with a open gate. There was a hover-car parked alongside. Shatner was leaned against the car taking a vaper smoke. The bus came to a stop.

"This is where I stop." The driver said. "I will be back in one hour to pick you up."

"Men, women," Dom started to announce. "We are protecting this idiot while dying." She gestured down toward the bound and gagged man. "It has been my most honorable experience serving with you for five years." She smiled. "And I will be damned to hell if I was not here with you." She then lifted the man up by the shoulder then slid down the gag to below his chin. "Come you little shit."

The dozen so members filed out.

Shatner leaned off from the corvette.

"Are you the admiral?" Dom asked.

Shatner smiled, back, widely yet heartly.

"Admiral William Shatner, at your service." Shatner said. "I am here to make sure this goes smoothly from here." He raised an eyebrow. "Did you bring the grenade?"

"Yes,sir," Dom patted on the special grenade hooked to the belt. "It's ready."

Shatner looked toward Congill.

"Untie him," Shatner said. "He knows the house better than you do."

"Sir, with all due respect," Rookie said. "He made us play the game."

"You don't remember the path you took," Shatner said. "Which still means: we need him."

"Do it, Lieutenant Sykis." Dom said.

Sykis broke the cuff link around the man's wrist.

"Come on," Shatner said.

"Thank you, sir!" Congill said.

"Don't push it." Shatner said. He looked toward Dom. "For old times sake, Captain Dominique."

"It's commander now, Admiral." Dom said. "You were there for my court martial."

"Oh really?" Shatner asked, eyebrows raised. "Feels like it was yesterday."

"It was ten years ago." Dom said.

"Tomato tamata." Shatner said. "The real heroes of today go inside first."

* * *

Nimoy awoke tied to the bed. Actually ,his arms were behind his head and he was strip naked. He had hickeys on his shoulders, chest area, and the neck. He had a blind fold on his head. It was a wild, passionate night that he will not forget easily. Nimoy muttered, "Damn it, Billy." He lunged himself forward once, then twice, then for a third time, and for a fourth time breaking the wooden backside of the rail. He broke the rail into pieces with what strength he had. He freed his wrist. His wrist felt free. It was very gratifying. Nimoy took the time to relax on his accord for getting free. He had felt uncomfortable being positioned that way. It was what he deserved, anyway. It was a wonder he didn't have a kink in his neck.

"If he makes me late so help me." Nimoy said, sliding the blindfold off his head. It was bright at first until he saw a holoemitter on the counter. "And I have to pay for the bed." He rubbed his forehead. "How typical." He reached forward and played the holoemitter.

A short, but rounded man appeared on the holo-emitter in star fleet uniform. The same uniform he was in yesterday. He had the hat placed to the side in his arm. The white and gray uniform made his figure stand out. Shatner had one hand locked behind his back. Shatner wore what seemed to be a toupee that made him appear younger than he was. Nimoy experienced nostalgia. It reminded the seventy plus year old man just how far Star Fleet had come in the past eighty years. How far they both had come. A smile grew on Shatner's well aged, rounded face.

 _"Hey Lenny!_ " Shatner said. " _I just want you to know, don't worry. About a thing. Taken care of."_ He grinned. _"I know, I know, I know._ " He shook his hand. " _You are going to say what thing?"_ There was a glint in his eyes. _"Well, I think you know. I'm going to miss that sassy science officer who told me off in front of the two highest ranking officers on the USS Desilu. We were kids, practically, and how Nichelle and I didn't get along but you two did. Remember how we tried to earn the respect of our superior peers? Those were the days. Now, here we are . . . and we don't need to do that. Seeing you at Star Base 1 while drunk and here I thought, "Wow, what a hot man,he is probably a nerd, and I am going to hit on him". Yes, honestly, that is what I was thinking at the time before you punched me out. A single punch. That's a great way to start a friendship."_ He paused. " _You are going to miss me, old friend. Admit it! You will! I am not being patronizing, I am stating a fact."_ He punctured each statement with emphasis. _"Born three days apart, you are usually the patronizing. No arguing about that. I hope you continue being patronizing."_ He sighed, then looked sincerely in Nimoy's direction. _"You once told me that my best, first destiny was to be on the front line. Well, if that's true, and if there's any logic to this universe . . ."_ He paused, as Nimoy was getting dressed in a hurry. " _Then there's a good chance we will see each other on your last away mission. You have to admit, Lenny. What we are all searching for on these away missions: Home."_

Nimoy picked up the holoemitter quickly putting it into his pocket.

No, no, no.

It could not have happened.

Nimoy rushed rushed out of the hotel room taking his hat with him. He was hopping along tying his shoes up. He leaned against the wall to do so until he had a steady footstep. First Doohan, the head of engineering, had passed in 2255. And now, Shatner. His mind was racing as he passed by several people then rushed into the elevator. He pressed the lobby button then impatiently tapped his foot. He could feel his heart sink. Every second passing meant ill will for his colleague. He couldn't. He couldn't do that to him. True, he was a beloved member of Star Fleet. He had only recently reconciled with his son, Adam, thanks in large part to his wife Susan. She was a grateful person he had in his life. True, Nimoy was Vulcan like in nature but he did that to stand this ridiculous starship he was on. And it was easy. It was a mask that he felt looming over his shoulder every day of his life.

He didn't understand why his old friend wanted to be a hero when it could get him killed. The game didn't care about the innocent. If you tried to prevent someones death then you are sure as hell dead. He had learned that much by a heated and spirited discussion with Takei's husband. Takei wasn't happy about it. Brad wasn't happy about it. He felt guilt enough about allowing the pet project of his assistant spiral out of control. It wasn't expected. He came bolting out the lobby with great speed. He looked around for his parked car. His heart sank even further. He flipped his communicator open with hope that someone around here could drive him. He quickly ran through and then his thoughts landed on Takei. He was going to see the destruction. He checked his watch to see the time. It was getting close-No, he can't be dead by now. True, Shatner was a representation of drama with that cowboy hat he wore to conferences. But he couldn't be killed off so easily. Nimoy learned that part the hard way through fifty brutal years of knowing him. Shatner loved horses. Nimoy, however, was greatly mixed about them. On one hand they were splendid, intelligent beasts capable of great things. And otherwise, fantastically deadly events. Which is why he called Deforest, who so happened to be driving by out of sheer curiosity, to drive him there. Nimoy ducked into the vehicle then closed the door as Deforest speeded the car forward simultaneously being a little shit.

Deforest appeared to be amused.

"Why hello there, Len." Deforest said. His eyes brightened. "Whose the lucky partner of today?"

"Drive," Nimoy said. "Now."

Deforest leaned against the window.

"Argument? Did you say his name again? Oh wait, is Susan not happy about your outside activity?" Deforest asked. "Or wait, was it, Billy again?"

Nimoy stared down Deforest.

"He all ready left." Nimoy said. "He is going to the mansion."

Deforest's eyes widened.

"What?" Deforest said, suddenly alarmed.

"He took my place!" Nimoy said. "He tied me to the bed and then left me bound!"

"I am going to kick his bubble butt when I get there." Deforest said.

"You and I are on the same page." Nimoy said.

"Hold on." Deforest said.

The hover-car speeded through the street. The admiral grabbed onto the handle attached to the top alongside the window. Deforest was listening to the instructions coming from the blue screen that was being spoken in a gentle blue hue. Deforest felt the sweat sliding down his skin. His heart pounding. Nimoy was running through the events of last night. How Nimoy approached Shatner to inform him the change in plans. Star Fleet couldn't risk of sending the equivalent of marines without someone there to serve as a reasonable authority figure in the moment that Commander Domnique was impaired. Shatner declining to talk with him while he mentioned how he was talking to a dead man walking. Nimoy went through the chances of his death and reassured him. To be honest, Nimoy was terrified. More than Shatner was because he hadn't been in the field for so long. He didn't know what to do once he stepped in. Nimoy had caught the wangsting man into his arms and it transformed into a hug from there. It gradually transformed into a romantic occasion, as Shatner had said, "Just for old times sake, old friend."

The vehicle came to a stop alongside Takei and Brad's vehicle who were standing side by side along their vehicles. Brad smiled sweetly at the car that parked then toward the house. He didn't appear to be bothered that a dozen men and women had entered the building half an hour ago. But really, he was concerned. Nimoy bolted out of the car then went toward the closed gate. Deforest followed out of the hover-car. Nimoy stepped back then took out his phaser and fired at the lock vaporizing it. The doors slid open. The hover-bus arrived parking alongside De's vehicle. Nimoy swung open the gates as a single man came running out falling to the ground appearing to be terrified. He recognized the man he was supposed to over see. Before Nimoy could stop himself, he was running toward the doors with a racing heart.

"She is going to blow!" Congill shouted.

Takei looked in the direction of Nimoy as did Brad and then they realized: Shatner wasn't there.

Deforest and Takei ran after Nimoy.

"Run! Congill screamed.

"Len!" De shouted. "Get your butt back here!"

"Billy!" Why is that every time someone is in danger, must one shout their loved ones name? Sheer hope that they come running out unscathed and grab them into a hug and twirl them in circles? Illogical. It would end out with them in a embrace and calling one or the other 'stupid' for being where they were and sharing a big damn kiss. What Nimoy was running on was not stupidity or enchantment. He was running on hope. He was as close as he could to the doorway when the whole place blew breaking the main tower apart into pieces sending blocks of rock, "No!" everywhere including Nimoy who landed against the fountain with a burn on the side of his cheek.

The fountain was destroyed completely.

De and Takei came to the man's side.

"Lenny,Lenny, Lenny?" Deforest snapped his fingers. "Can you hear me?"

Nimoy's eyes looked in the direction of the burning house.

"I don't think he can hear you over the fire." Takei said, placing a hand onto the man's shoulder. He slid it off as soon as he did. "Do you have a spare dermal regenerator in the back of your car?" Congill had been stopped by Brad who was calming him down with both hands on his shoulder. Congill was unable to speak clearly and he was nerve wrecked. Deforest sent him a glare. "Of course you do."

A small "No." escaped from Nimoy as he lost consciousness.


	50. Chapter 50

Sick Bay is the go to place for officers to go when they have been injured. So imagine Dorian's surprise when he found Elizabeth Dehner and Gary Mitchell in his sick bay side by side with their eyes covered in what was a design of the universe but small and yet enough to block their eyesight. It was quite amazing to see this before his eyes. Dorian couldn't believe it, himself, so he had to bring in John and see if he had some experience with anything like this. Amrah was alongside Gary Mitchell on a separate biobed being treated for burns by Nurse Beckett.

John took one look at them then turned around.

"Sorry, nope," John said. Then wheeled away. "Good luck, though."

Dorian came over to Dehner's side as John exited the room passing by Samantha's replacement, Nurse Chelso for the night.

"How are you feeling?" Dorian asked, holding a pad.

Dehner raised her hand up as though attempting to reach something above her. Dehner's injuries from being on the bridge had been healed using a dermal regenerator. She had came in with a scar on the side of her head with blood coming out as being helped in by Hendorff and Chantley. Lieutenant Hendrick had helped Gary in. That was only thirty three minutes ago. The captain and the commander hadn't come back since then. Chelso had wild red hair that was up in a pony tail.

"I can see everything." Dehner said.

Dorian raised his eyebrows.

"What kind of things can you see?" Dorian asked.

"Sheep." Dehner said.

"Where are you?" Dorian lowered his eyebrows.

"Late pre twenty first century." Dehner said. "I see a castle. There is a sheep dog watching out for the animals. It resembles a Australian dog with the small tail. Black and white." She smiled at the image. "It is so adorable. This is amazing."

"You are on the Enterprise in Sick Bay, Dehner." Dorian said.

"I know but I am somewhere else." Dehner said.

"Mr Mitchelle-" Dorian started to say was but was cut off.

"This is fun," Gary was smiling with his hands on his stomach with his eyes aimed at the ceiling. If Dorian were human, he would have felt a chill going down his skin. "I can see Jim is considering how to deal with this." He sounded amused. "Poor, poor, poor Jim. He doesn't even know."

Dorian turned toward Gary.

"How are you feeling?" Dorian asked, using the tricoder nearby to scan the man.

"I am feeling better than okay," Gary said. "I fee better than I have ever been before." He smiled. "I can't read your thoughts but it does not mean I could not see through your partner's mind. He is worried about you. He won't admit it. He is scared that I am and what I can do."

"You can't blame him." Dorian said.

"No, I can't." Gary said.

Dorian didn't trust his own eyes when he saw the readings. He looked to the four divided screen that displayed the man's health in greater detail. He had a normal heart rate. His blood pressure was doing fine. He couldn't explain how this was possible. His eyes were different. There was something different about the man. He wasn't the same person he had seen earlier in the rec room hours ago. Dorian saw it for himself by applying a scan to the man's chest. No erratic breathing, horse-raw-chettered breathing.

"Perfectly healthy," Dorian said. "There is nothing wrong with you."

Dorian lowered the tricorder.

"Oh really?" Gary asked. "Let me show you what I can do."

"Gary-" Dehner started.

The screen indicated his health went down and became still. Dorian placed the tricorder onto the counter alongside the padd. Dorian started to perform CPR rather than using the equipment they had such adrenaline to start the body back up. He couldn't risk adrenaline to possibly damage the young man's body. It was a risk he wouldn't take. Nurse T'Spol came with a small item in her hand then handed it to the doctor. Dorian put the device under the man's nose. Gary lunged forward gasping, terrified, "Where am I?" He was beating sweat when he looked in both directions. His heart was beating. "What is happening to me?" His eyes widened in horror, "Doctor, help me!"

Gary turned over with a painful scream.

"Gary!" Amrah reached her hand out.

Dorian and T'Spol came to the man's side as the health indicators were all over the chart.

"His heart is stressed," T'Spol reported. "Doctor!"

Gary felt his mind was being broken, shattered, and taken over in a highly painful fashion. It was the sheer volume of power taking over his entire being was truly horrifying. His body couldn't handle that, he considered, now that he thought of it, going into space with his close friend James T. Kirk lead to this. Suddenly he felt himself free flying in darkness calling out, "Jim! JIM! JIIIIM, HELP ME!" From the outside, it looked as though Gary had recomposed himself. A smile snickered onto the man's face. Gary placed one leg over the other with his arm placed on his stomach. There were heavy, serious but stiff stares in the direction of the man.

"Got any good books I can read in the computer library?" Gary asked.

T'Spol looked up, highly disturbed, in the direction of Dorian.

"Nurse, get him a library card." Dorian said. "Nurse Beckett,finishing attend to Miss Amrah and discharge her. We will be moving the patients to a secure room, very shortly."


	51. Chapter 51

John was bringing himself over to the restroom. Samantha was sitting down on a couch munching on popcorn sitting down on the couch watching a comedy horror movie. To be brutally honest, John was taking a nap on the floor. A power nap, he would insist. Walking alone without support was as difficult as delivering an alien races newborn. Not that he had done it himself. He felt like a child taking a nap in where they were standing. John sighed, lifting himself up then resumed crawling toward the bedroom. His legs felt like they were aching. John went through much worse than this when he was a marine. He vanished into the living room. The door behind him closed.

"Mr Spock?" Samantha sounded surprised.

"Where is the doctor?" Spock asked.

"Going to the restroom," Samantha said. "And I am afraid to ask. . ."

"The captain is in one of his moods." Spock said. His hands locked behind his back.

"Oh." Samantha said. Like that would explain everything. The hint of an expression on his face indicated she might understand what the kind of 'mood' he was alluding to. She hadn't shared the same quarters with Jim or anything like it during the academy. They crossed paths. They didn't have sex. They were good friends. She didn't know the young man well as John did. "What kind of moods?

"He has been given a transmission and refuses to come out of his quarters to deal with the situation at hand." Spock paused. "Ensign Jester refused to inform me what has distressed the captain as much as it had."

"That kind of news." Samantha said, in a low voice.

Spock tilted his head.

"Explain." Spock said.

"People do that when they can't handle it. You know, when they are afraid." Samantha said. Spock seemed to have a blank look on his face. She felt uneasy speaking to a Vulcan who was acting emotionless. For all those years, she worked with emotional Vulcans. Spock was different. A nice change and she liked him for that. "Surely, you did that too, before."

"It is highly illogical for a Vulcan to lock themselves." Spock remarked.

John made his way into the shared bathroom that was both a restroom and a liquor cabinet. Scotty was in the bath tub reading a padd and holding a tea cup with Keenser on the other side reading a magazine. The bathroom was well lit. John could see the man's knees sticking above the bubbles. The counter was decorated in bottles that had been sneaked into the ship by John and Scotty before departing into space. John used the side of the counter to lift himself up feeling off balance. Scotty slid the screen to the side, "Have ye started to walk down the hall completely?" John managed to regain his balance with a sigh then looked over toward the scotts man.

"Why of course not." John said.

"Yer not sleepin' where you walk, are ye." Scotty said, looking over toward John.

"No." John felt like a frightened deer caught on the impending doom of two headlights.

Keenser grunted.

"Why he never lies, Keenser." Scotty said. Ow, that hurt. "He hasn't lied to us yet."

John lowered his pants humming the tune to Galaxy Quest.

"Why do you expect the worse out of people?" Scotty asked.

Keenser shrugged.

"Oh, of course, I should expect that." Scotty said. He returned his attention toward the padd. "Oh my god, did that scene really happen?" He gasped. The toilet flushed itself. "No,no, this comic can not have happened." He pinched himself. "Commander Taggart would not have allowed his tech sergeant to sacrifice himself that easily!"

"A new Galaxy Quest comic?" John said.

"Yes, but there is no plot." Scotty said.

"They always had no plots." John said.

"Actually, they did. They just went down to unrealistic route." Scotty said.

"No, don't tell me they killed off the only likable member of the crew." John said.

"Aye." Scotty said, with a nod.

"That is terrible." John said.

"Would ye like a copy?" Scotty asked.

"No thank you, I swore of the comics when they turned Yoo into a god and made Tawny fall in love with him after sacrificing herself to save her ex husband Taggart. The original one." John shook his hand. "You know, not the alternate timeline version, the mysterio version, the world fifty-six version, the mirror version, the one with glasses version, not the version painted black and white, just the original."

Scotty appeared to be alarmed.

"I have yet tae read that issue." Scotty said.

"Don't read it." John said. "They ruined her character."

John pulled his pants up and zipped them. He used the wall as his support to continue walking. Scotty shrugged as the man got out of the bathroom. He pulled his shirt down over the zipped up zipper. He used the side of the counter to keep himself from falling abruptly to the floor. T'Spol's method was quite brilliant and quite, naturally, good enough to try getting his swimming legs back. It was still a problem that he couldn't walk on his own. It was a miracle he can walk again. He came to the doorway of his bedroom where it opened to reveal Spock with Samantha close behind him, "I tried to stop him!" John had excellent hearing. He knew how the conversation went from inside the bathroom.

"You have to go in yourself," John said, leaning against the wall. "And listen to him."

"Gary Mitchelle has been transferred to the brig as he has attempted to choke Nurse Chelso." Spock said.

"Look," John said. He held his hands up briefly in front of his chest. "If Jim is in his quarters-" John leaned against the frame of the doorway. He had apparently been growing a beard out on his off-time. "Then he is most likely emotionally compromised and it is up to you."

"He cannot be in there forever." Spock said.

Samantha facepalmed herself as a thought had occurred to John.

"I know someone who did do that and they were never the same." John said. "Though, they were allergic of everythin' afterwards."

"Wouldn't it be logical to have someone who knows how the captain inside and outside?" Spock inquired. "I am a stranger."

"Uh huh." John was convinced. "If you were a stranger then you would be dead." He tapped on the Vulcan's chest at the mention of the word 'dead'. He leaned his hand back placing it to the side of his hip. "Plain and simple." With his elbow leaning against the door frame. "You are the first officer of the ship."

"Affirmative." Spock said.

"It is your duty to get him out of what he is drownin' himself in." John said.

"I do not understand your metaphor." Spock said.

"Sometimes he makes it up as he goes." Samantha said.

"He does?" Spock inquired.

"He uses a lot of bullshit." Samantha said.

"How does the waste of bull pertain to making up?" Spock inquired.

"You have a lot to learn." Samantha said, with a smile.

"Christy, go watch the next scary movie." John said. "I think the terrible version is comin' up. The one with the bed jumpin'?"

Her face turned into pure horror.

"OH MY GOD NO." Samantha dashed down the hallway crashing onto the couch flipping it over.

"Jim is in angst mode, right now," John said. "He has been informed of some life alterin' knowledge. Which means he is paralyzed on what to do for the next twenty-four hours. Which are crucial for his future." Spock appeared to be curious. "Logically," He held his free hand up. "If I am readin' my Jim right, he has been informed his mother is either dead, Sam is dead, or he is a parent."

"He is not prepared to be a parent." Spock said.

"Exactly where his angst comes in," John said. "He lost his father. His own parental figure is light years away on Earth behind a comfy, glass desk and sittin' in a classy chair readin' reports and court martial reports and ship design plans." He shook his his hand. "All the borin' stuff of course. Which reminds me, I have to make sure he doesn't become make the worst mistake of his career in the far future. Which is helpin' others. He can not do a thin' as a vice admiral or being an admiral." He held his index up for a moment. "Now humor me for a minute. What good would a man like Jim do on Earth instead of bein' captainin' a ship."

"Die." Spock said.

John rolled an eye.

"Besides that, Spock!" John said.

"Get turned into a criminal and taken to a prison ship nearby Delta Vega." Spock said.

"And then die." John said. "You know just as I do he wouldn't last."

Spock nodded.

"That is true, Doctor." Spock said.

"How would you fair as a father?" John asked.

"I would excel at it." Spock said.

"Get out and talk to Jim." John said. "Force your way in. That's what I did."

"But you were roommates." Spock reminded him. "And his door is locked."

John puckered his lips and frowned for a moment there.

"Good point," John said. "I had a bed to hit the hay on." He looked back at the memory of their shared quarters. Jim's half of the room was messy. The other half, belonging to John, was clean as a whistle. Being made a clean freak from boot camp never left. Ever. "A relationship between the captain and the commander starts with trust. You have to be reassurin' in your probably best condescendin' way with your statistics. Number your way out and turn the situation upside down."

"I would be insulted but that is clearly a compliment." Spock said. "And why would he take comfort in the numbers?"

"Numbers, Spock," John said. "Is what makes us defy them." John remembered the chances of survivin' his missions as a marine. "And define ourselves." John let out a smile thinking of how he had saved Portman from friendly fire. "Now, I have a theory that Jim is goin' to do what his father would be doin' if he were still around. Brin' up his father. Just like last time. Yank him out screamin' if need be. And remind him that his other best friend is sittin' in the brig."

"I only brought up his father to make a point." Spock said.

"Point made!" John said. "But this is personal. And it effects the entire ship, so you might want to go right now instead of talkin' with me. Precious minutes are slippin' by. All of which you two can spend it decidin' what to do with Gary and Elizabeth."

"His door is locked." Spock said.

"Okay," John said. "I will let you use me this once when it comes to Jim." He held up his index finger. "Just this once!" Spock nodded. "You have to handle Jim on your own." He pointed back at the Vulcan's chest. "He is still hurtin' from our break up and you make a good patsy on recoverin' him."

"As you wish." Spock said.

"Christine, get the wheelchair out!" John called.

"All right!" Samantha replied.

"And by the way-" John leaned forward. "If you leave his ass on a away mission intentionally on my watch then I will personally kill you and not leave any evidence behind." John flashed one of his killer smiles. "Do we understand each other?"

"I do not doubt it." Spock said.

"Good." John said, leaning himself away.


	52. Chapter 52

His name was David. David A Marcus, David Alexander Marcus. Jim was sitting on the edge of his bed when he heard a rapid knocking. He had been considering what to do next. He hadn't gotten a call from the lab technician since she dropped out of the academy last year unexpectedly and broke up with him. Sure, Jim was over joyed. But he was concerned with being a father. Does he return to Earth to meet his little boy or does he wait for the next call to see him? Winona didn't know her son was a father. She didn't know she was a grandparent. Frank was being a drunk somewhere held under a DUI charge most likely. His brother, Sam, was somewhere out there in space. He wasn't on Earth, Jim knew that part. The brothers had become estranged. Sam left Jim when he most needed him. Driving the car off the cliff was what lead Jim to Tarsus IV. He lead The Tarsus Nine. It still happened even with his father's death. Kodos was presumed dead and it still haunted him. His voice.

"Go away." Jim called.

The knocking returned, insistently.

"I said, GO AWAY!" Jim shouted.

The knocking only grew louder.

"I will go away when you don't need a good fashioned spanking!" Came John's voice echoing through the room.

Jim looked up from the floor raising a eyebrow abruptly startled.

"Bones?" Jim was alarmed.

Jim stood up.

"OPEN UP BEFORE I USE MY PASSWORD TO OVERRIDE YOURS, YOU LITTLE INFANT!" John raised his voice.

His face softened.

"He can't do that." Jim said, amused.

"THE HELL I CAN!" John added. "AND I WILL." John's yelling defied the laws of physics. He had strong vocal cords. John and Jim participated in the chorus during their first year on their free time in the academy until they got kicked out of it. The instructor, a Andorian, had made the admission that John had the strongest cords she ever heard. John gleefully smiled and informed her that it was his strong suit. He also added that as a child, his parents could find him when he screamed like a little girl. It was mostly Jim's fault they got kicked out. Jim had the voice of an angel. John, on the other hand, had the voice of a rough, bitter angel who had a grudge against humanity with a southern accent to it.

"I am coming!" Jim called. "Don't break the door down for me."

Jim walked down the hallway to the living room of his quarters. His quarters were designed with a couch, a rug, a wide screen tv attached to the wall, and a counter to rest objects on across from the curled wide screen set. He came to the door then inputted the code into it. He was in his green wrap around tunic. It felt comfortable to him. Was his best friend going to apologize for the way he presented the break up? It had been, well, painful for Jim. The exercise deck had only served to distract him. But it was a good distraction. A few hours ago he broke down in his quarters and cried. He still had a bruise on his heart for it. The doors opened to reveal Spock with his hands locked behind his back.

"You are not Bones." Jim said.

"That I am not." Spock said.

"Did you have to use Bones to speak with me?" Jim asked.

"Your communicator is off." Spock said. "And it was his idea, let alone mine. My idea was more logical."

"Uh huh." Jim said.

"Mr Mitchelle is in the brig." Spock said.

"What. Why?" Jim said.

"He tried to choke a nurse." Spock said.

"Oooh," Jim said. "Why don't you handle it."

"Captain, as much as the doctor has told me regarding your friendship with him, it would be logical for you to be there." Spock said. "And Doctor M'Benga has informed me that there is another person, or, entity controlling him." He tilted his head slightly. "The doctor informed me that you would be this way being a father."

"I am not the best position to decide someones fate." Jim said. "I am emotionally compromised."

"He is your colleague." Spock said.

"Sometimes the needs of the one outweigh the needs of the few." Jim said.

"But not the many." Spock said.

"You never had a an accident and never known for a year that you had a kid," Jim said. "You don't understand how I feel."

Jim turned away then headed toward the bedroom and the doors closed on Spock.":

"On the contrary, I had a project that started an artificial intelligence at the age of twelve." Spock said. "It called me 'Master Grayson' under the approval of my mother and my father. For over a year I worked on it and gave it more qualities, Vulcanian in nature, to meet the approval of my peers. I turned it in for a science project. I never heard from it again until I was thirteen. The chances of it being alive was seventy-three point thirty-seven. It was being used on a Scientific classed vessel for a anomaly recently discovered close by Vulcan. My AI 'malfunctioned' or so the Vulcan Academy Science said. She turned the ship around and returned to Vulcan from the anomaly when they became too close to it. They had no choice but to destroy the program because it was not logical that it disturb the work of science. My creation was used to self categorize several science entries previously and interact with the crew on a daily basis. The loss was felt by the crew. More importantly, I grieved for the loss as well."

The doors opened again.

"What did you call her?" Jim asked.

"Susan." Sock said. "What I am trying to say, captain, is that if she did not get destroyed and given to me to live with it. I would not have adequately been able to raise her. I was a child compared to parenting. As are you," Spock saw the captain flinch. "Your files indicate despite your familiarity to them . . . you are not ready for it. The most logical solution to the problem would have been handing her off to the Vulcan Science Academy. If she kept the child, she will be a fierce protector over them."

"Carol. Her name is Carol Marcus." Jim said. "Nearly married her." He looked toward the floor then back to Spock. "We grew up in Riverside together. We were great friends and she went into the academy right around the time I went just on a earlier shuttle craft." He cleared his throat. "I feel like . . . I have been . . . left out of the whole becoming a parent passage."

"As in the daughter of admiral Alexander Marcus." Spock said.

"Yes." Jim said.

"Did he know of your relationship with her?" Spock inquired.

"He knew we were friends but I don't know if he knew that she had my child." Jim said. "So I take that Susan was anything like you."

"More or less." Spock said.

"How do I tell my mother that she has a grandson?" Jim asked. "How do I tell her that I knocked up a Admiral's daughter. And . . ."

"You do it with brutal honesty," Spock said. "Human parents tend to see the good in things. However illogical as they are."

Jim agreed.

"You should have seen my mom when she showed Bones of my baby pictures." Jim said, with a warm smile.

"Captain, may we discuss Mr Mitchell's predicament?" Spock inquired."Mr Scott's gemma replacement, Miss Charles, has given a new status update."

"What is it?" Jim said.

"We are five years from the nearest starbase," Spock said. "With impulse power, the Enterprise can reach the nearest planet in one day." He paused. "With all consideration, we need to focus on the Mr Mitchell."

"What about Dehner?" Jim asked.

"Her eyesight has returned and the entity that had been plaguing her has vanished."

"That is too much of a coincidence." Jim rubbed his hands together. "I don't like coincidences." Spock stepped aside as the man finally inputted a code that unlocked the doors then he exited. "I need to speak with Miss Dehner."


	53. Chapter 53

Dehner entered the rec room where there were officers playing chess and some of which were just chatting. Janice had used the colorizer to change her hair color back to blonde instead of blue. She had her hair up in a pony tail. She had her hands clasped under her chin in deep consideration looking down toward a padd on the table. She was in her civvies that matched her uniform. She had on a long sleeved buttoned up red shirt with a black skirt and high riding boots. She wore a pair of bracelets while being off duty. On the other hand. Her yeoman outfit was primary a prototype with the neck zipper at the back and how comfortable it was. She didn't want over use it. She wanted it to feel a comfortable and free as long as possible. The previous version with the short sleeves felt very degrading because it set her apart from the men. Security officer, science officers, communication officers, and other kinds of officer in the previous dress lacked the sleeves that didn't indicate their rank. It was a very sexist kind of attire.

It was like a sexist person entered Star Fleet and took away the sleeves to the women uniform. It was a agreed, unanimous verdict after implementing casual wear that the sleeves had to come back. Though they still hadn't gone through the sleeveless uniform as they had planned. It was supposed to last ten years. Uniforms changed every ten years. Janice had watched the uniforms change abruptly when she was eleven. She still wasn't use to them. Her younger two brothers, Ben and Sirri, both of whom were twins didn't seem to mind the change in uniforms. Janice Louise Rand was the daughter of explorers born in 2242, while unsurprisingly, when they were going through a illegal barrier to explore a planet classified as quarantined. Her family was warned numerous times that one day they won't get help. So Janice and her siblings grew up on ships and stations. They had a problem with their warp core so they ended up going back on sub-light speed. That was for three years, and they aged a few years less than the rest of the galaxy. They came to the planet Saweoure that was on the edge of federation space. The planet used currency so if someone didn't have currency they would be forced into slavery or die.

She noticed Dehner sit down across from her.

"Hello, Louise." Dehner said.

Janice looked up then leaned back placing her hands on to the table.

"How do you know my middle name?" Janice was alarmed.

"Your file says it." Dehner said.

Janice relaxed.

"Oh," Janice said. She appeared to be relieved when Dehner's pretty hazel eyes was kindly looking back at her. "So your eyesight is back."

"Yes," Dehner shrugged. "Asides to minor changes, I am still myself."

Janice tapped her fingers on the table raising a eyebrow at the woman.

"What changes?" Janice asked, curiously.

"Power." Dehner said. "Only beyond your dreams." She paused. "I feel like I am sharing the power with a weak entity. This is not their full potential." She casted a look of doubt with her hands clasped under her chin. "I feel like I should be fortunate."

"But you are not so you feel sad about it." Janice said.

"That," Dehner said. "And guilt. That I am getting it easy."

"That's neat." Janice said. "Do they have a name?"

Dehner had a thought to herself.

"I do not know," Dehner said. "And they do not either."

Janice was intrigued.

"So they are bad or good or. . ." Janice started to ask.

"Malevolent. Don't hurt as long as they are not hurt," Dehner said. "I don't feel like they have a gender. But they prefer male." She looked around the room. "After suffering. . ." She paused, once more. "I am learning to appreciate life a little better."

"You are a bit of a freezer." Janice said. "You have always treated it a bit like a Vulcan from what I remember in the academy."

Dehner went through her short, blonde hair with one hand.

"I always did to separate myself from the emotions of others," Dehner said. She pat on the side of her thigh. "People can always get lost in their line of work."

Janice nodded.

"That can happen." Janice had a short lived laugh.

Nyota and Amrah entered side by side in civvies. Nyota was in a sleeveless pink top with a red skirt and bracelets that represented her rank. Amrah was in a blue shirt that had golden embroidery on the sleeves with black trousers that had deep pockets to the side. Two men exited the room yawning. Nyota appeared to be glowing compared to Amrah. Dehner noticed the woman's bright smile. Her short hair curly hair style with curly side bangs along her cheeks. She wore a pair of earrings that seemed unusual with her arms linked with the Muslim. Dehner heard the thoughts of the women.

 _I am having the best day of my life!,_ Nyota thought.

 _Hope no one notices the mole on my face,_ Amrah thought as she looked around anxiously, _then again I did apply heavy layers of make up._

Dehner was tempted to speak out and tell the woman that she was perfectly fine. That her face was pure and cute. And fine. And clear. Dehner leaned back into the chair hearing the thoughts of the people around her. She could hear Janice even louder than them because of being so close. She could not hear the thoughts of Doctor M'Benga. She heard the thoughts of two worried people. One was a man and the other was a woman. She looked up toward the ceiling tilting her head overhearing it. It sounded a lot of Christine Chapel and Doctor McCoy. She felt pity for them as their thoughts suddenly became about a movie. And their reaction to it made her laugh. She overheard Kevin Riley's worried thoughts _, I am goin' to be beaten at chess by a Andorian! What a way to start a losin' streak, Riley!_ With a unpleased expression on his face. _You were supposed to relax! Not los_ e.

"Are you all right, Lizzy?" Janice asked, sounding concerned.

Dehner briefly closed her eyes then reopened them.

"Quite fine." Dehner said. "Something funny occured to me."

"Good, you were scaring me for a second there." Janice said, jokingly.

"I didn't mean to do that. . ." Dehner said, apologetically. "You know Robertin Harvey?"

"Yes." Janice said. "He is the first officer who some of the other yeomen's can't get a peep out of."

"He is trying to work up the courage to speak with women." Dehner gestured over toward the short man in a lone chair eying at two men with envy. "And he can't speak to men, either, no he is not mute but he has a neurological problem that needs to correct itself. He is lucky that he is a security officer where all you do is listen. He is not the type to climb the ranks so he is going to be stuck as a lieutenant."

"I didn't know that." Janice said, as realization dawned on her face.

"He wants to talk to you about using the colorizer to change his hair to purple." Dehner said.

"How can he not know?" Janice said. "Most people can read it."

"He is a shy man. And sometimes, well, colorizers are a mystery to him." Dehner said. And he prefers to speak in sign."

"I know sign." Janice said.

Dehner smiled.

"He is a shy man so if he slips and speaks, just be kind to him. He hasn't spoken since he was ten years old when his father went on a away mission and never came back." Janice looked taken back. How does she know this stuff? "And he is not interested in romantic relationships." She twirled her finger on the table. "He is honestly considering changing career tracks as a engineer."

Janice stood up taking the padd wearing a determined expression on her face.

"If I don't come back in five minutes," Janice said. "I am painting his nails first."

"Go Jan." Dehner said.

Janice turned away then headed in the direction of the man. Dehner looked around hearing the noise that was starting to become a bother. All their voices around her were amusing and mundane but she didn't like eavesdropping in private thoughts. She got up from the chair then headed out of the rec room. Janice likely is going to help him over come his neurological problem with help from Riez. He was an expert in some neurological aspects to science and he was the go-to man when it came to that on the Enterprise asides to the doctors. Riez is the kind of man one goes to for advice before going to the doctors to double check.

* * *

Jefferson was leaned against the doorway to his quarters. He locked himself out by accident. He was waiting for a engineer to get here and unlock the door so he can go to bed. His eyelids were getting heavy. He just had to wait for them. Only that would work. He heard the bootsteps echo down the hall. He had seen a few of his friends escort Mr Mitchelle down the hall to the brig which was over half an hour ago or more? He didn't know. Jefferson briefly closed his eyes but reopened when he felt a hand shaking his shoulder. It was Riez. A smile grew on the man's face.

"Hi Riegnt." Jefferson said.

"Why are you not in bed?" Riez looked down toward the man.

"Door." Jefferson lazily pointed beside his shoulder then knocked. "Locked."

"What about your roommate?" Riez said.

"On the bridge, currently." Jefferson said. "I am so out of luck."

Riez stood up.

"Let me see about that." Riez forced the doors open from both sides of the doorway with a metal screech while making sure not to make a dent. Riez brought the man onto his feet, roughly, up against the wall. "Aren't you off duty?" He raised his meticulously unusual, slanted but fleek heavy eyebrows. Jefferson nodded. "Get yourself to bed."

Riez shoved Jefferson in to the room making him land on his knees.

"And I rather not have to do that again." Riez grunted then closed the door with a loud metallic slam.

Riez stepped back, then shook his head then his communicator beep.

"Yello, Riez here." Riez said, upon flipping it open and putting it against his ear.

"I need you to punch someone." Janice said.

"As much as I like to," Riez said. "That would earn me being secluded in my quarters for 24 hours, disciplinary action, and if I am very lucky not getting Mr Spock's prodding on why I launched an attack on a fellow officer."

"You are very secretive. "

"Which is what I prefer to be." Riez said. "And what if the guy has the upper hand?"

"You will not be slammed down." Janice said.

"Says the girl who was pinned down down by Sanders during wrestling." Riez said.

"She cheated. She was high." Janice said.

"No, you can't admit to being beat." Riez said.

"I beat her last time." Janice said.

"Not accepting reality as we know it is unhealthy . .." Riez said. "Anyway, is that all you called me for?"

There was a pause.

"Can you please come down to the rec room?" Janice asked. "I would interfere but it is Riley and he just lost against Scle'ion."

"All right, on my way." Riez said, then closed the communicator and headed down the opposite direction grumbling to himself.

* * *

The observation deck was a place were time flew by quickly. Dehner had listened to crew member after crewmember talk about space, passionately. Talking about growing up in space or on different Earth Colonies such as the Alpha Centauri. Or growing up on Earth watching documentaries. She could see the images of planets. Odd, humanoid beings covered in head to toe by machine parts. It was terrifying. She could hear the terrified cries of the people as a drill was sent into their body. The looks of horror on the children's faces as they were separated from their family. There was complete silence in the room. Asides to a few officers being there watching space while the ship was on impulse power. It was going slow compared to the usual warp drive.

Dehner had her hands locked behind her back.

There was something different.

Feeling ready to jump out of being a carbon unit into a new stage of evolution. Into being some type of entity that could fly into space as a new type of lifeform. A lifeform transcending the normal manners of living. Capable of projecting and creating. All the emotions in the universe was overwhelming. She shut out all the emotions experiencing nothing. Nothing. She pushed the images away. In her minds eye there was hope and fascination and intrigue. Somewhere that she wouldn't be. She could not handle this kind of power. The power going through her veins was so great. Unique in its own way. Whatever had jumped into her body was still exploring yet it felt trapped as she was. If she had emotions then she would feel sympathy for this entity.

"Good, she is still here." She overheard Jim.

"Of course I am, captain," Dehner said. "I have yet to evolve."

"Excuse me?" Jim said.

"Fascinating." It was Spock's voice that sounded close. "With her condition . . . This is intriguing."

Dehner turned in the direction of the two. There were science officers sitting on couches. There was Sanders sitting in a 'i' shaped recliner with Ensign Black. Ensign Black is a engineer who was smaller compared to the tall woman locked in cuddle. Sanders had her arm wrapped around the dark man slouched in the chair who was bald. Jim and Spock were side by side, extremely close. Their shoulders were pinned against the other. It was as though there was no boundaries between them. Dehner smiled, seeing an image of the two but very aged side by side in modern day attire. Spock appearing to be aged with his cheeks standing out, laughter lines along his eyes, and his hair was silver. Spock retained his bowl hair cut. His pointy ears even larger. Their hands locked behind their backs. Spock was in a dark blue sweatshirt with a white shirt underneath and jeans that outlined his legs. Spock looked over Jim's shoulder toward the man in a loving manner. Jim had a serious demeanor while in a buttoned up shirt that outlined his figure nicely and long jeans that ended at his ankles. They appeared to be a lovely couple. They were too far away to have been right there alongside her to say these words.

"Fascinating can not start to describe what I see from the two of you." Dehner said.

"Miss Dehner. " Jim said.

"I know." Dehner said. "Mr Spock, have you wondered what it would be like to know everything?"

"Negative." Spock said.

"It's beautiful, and it is sad." Dehner said. "It's going to be fine. Your doctor is going to be fine."

"We are not concerned about our physicians." Spock said.

"If you are threatening. . ." Jim started.

"Nothing. Nothing is ever going to happen to them." Dehner said. "They are not going to be alone." She recalled seeing John and Dorian, standing, side by side holding hands naked side by side when Dorian was standing and John was in a wheelchair. Dorian's genitals were unusually large for a synthetic. "You don't need to worry about them. Because they have to worry about first officer and commanding officer surviving what obscurities get themselves into." Behind Jim and Spock were four security officers. "Trust me."

Jim looked in the direction of Spock.

 _Should I trust my possessed officer?_ , Jim asked as he had a raised eyebrow.

 _It would be highly illogical to trust a entity currently residing in the body of this woman_ , Spock had his head tilted, _I do not believe so._

 _What's happening to Psychiatrist Officer Dehner?_ , Came a stray thought. She recognized the voice belonging to Security officer lieutenant Clarkson from Davenport, Iowa.

Jim and Spock turned their heads away from each other toward Dehner.

 _Perhaps the disaster recorder we found earlier may have information regarding this situation_ , Spock thought, _it will be wise to bring this up afterwards._

"Escort Miss Dehner to her quarters." Jim said.


	54. Chapter 54

"Nurse T'Spol." Dorian said.

"Yes?" T'Spol looked over from a padd.

"Your shift is over," Dorian said. T'Spol raised her eyebrows. "You have been on duty for the past thirteen hours and I have been light on you due to the injuries some of the officers suffered because of the great barrier." He signed her off. "Go have some time to yourself."

"I do have a video call to make with my sister," T'Spol said. "Which I have been avoiding."

"You can't avoid family forever." Dorian said. "I know how you feel about your parents. But T'Heli is hurt, too."

T'Spol nodded.

"I thank thee for thy's logic." T'Spol said.

T'Spol exited Sick Bay. Sick Bay was laxed and mundane, not much activity was taking place. Dorian sat down into his chair then slid his padd out. Dorian and John had yet to approach Spock regarding watching out for Jim. He considered, how different was John? He was more feeling and passionate and sympathetic but still a grumpy ass man. Dorian chuckled to himself. He opened the comn terminal considering a wide arrange of movies and activities. He looked up games that could be played between friends. Ping pong, poker, chess, soccer, and so on came up. Chess would only show how good John was at it in the rec room and earn a lot of questions from Jim such as, "I didn't know you can do chess." and Spock inquiring if he could play against the doctor. Dorian and John, in the beginning, bonded over their love for chess of all things when on stake outs. They played a hologram version of it in John's car.

Dorian sent the message.

 **M'Benga:** Would you like to play ping pong?

Dorian paused, then added.

 **M'Benga:** With or without an audience?

Dorian looked up from his padd at the desk when the doors to Sick Bay slid open. Janice helped Robertin in with a apologetic Riez and Riley with a bloody nose with his head tilted up toward the ceiling behind them. Nurse Chelso, Deforet, Kelley, Brackett, and Beckett was still on duty. Sometimes Dorian got Brackett and Beckett confused for one another as they looked so alike. They were almost twins except for being biracial. Brackett was a short black woman with an afro hair style and Beckett had short hair. Chelso was getting off duty taking Deforet with her. Dorian placed the padd to the side missing the reply that came from John.

 **McCoy:** 1, no audience. 2, this is not a competition. 3, Don't make it into a competition.

"I am so sorry," Riez said. "I didn't mean to hurt you, Robertin."

"Well, that sucks." Robertin finally said, uncovering a major gash on his forehead. "Not to be ungrateful, but this could have been done not in the middle of the freaking rec room!"

"I need someone to fix my nose." Riley said.

"Nurse Beckett and Nurse Breckett, get to Mr Harvey." Dorian said. "Mr Riley, over here."

Riez looked down toward his bloodied knuckles. Compared to Robertin, his fists were not scratched or cut in any manner. He hated himself. Why did he have to be so strong? He felt ashamed of himself. He was aiming for Scle'ion's cheek when the man ducked to the side. His eyes had widened after Robertin fell over off the chair landing on his backside. Robertin was speaking in a high pitched voice. Riez was trembling. Could he be capable of doing worse by accident? Riez looked down toward his trembling hands. His usual lab partner, Jansen Manwell, was someone who got on Riez's nerves easily. Sometimes he fantasized about choking her to death then ejecting her body into space during gamma shift. Riez prided himself over being someone who controlled their emotions in a proper fashion. And kept himself balanced. Compared to Manwell, he was in a better situation. Growing up being bullied required making sure the other humans didn't get what they wanted. Dorian came over to the man.

"Did you cause this altercation?" Dorian asked.

"It was Scle'ion." Riez said. It was the truth. "He threw the first punch."

"Mister Riez," Dorian said. "I can tell if you are lying."

"I am being honest, Doctor." Riez said, holding up a hand. "It is the whole truth, nothing but the truth."

"So you punched out two security officers by accident?" Dorian asked, his eyebrows raised.

"Robertin was an accident." Riez said. "And I am aware of the implications." His shoulders sulked with his arms crossing to his backside. "I will await my disciplinary actions that Mr Spock may have for me."

Dorian nodded.

"Don't get into any more fights." Dorian said.

"I take that with utmost regard." Riez said, with a bow.

Now, he felt silly doing that but it was weird habit he developed as a pre-teen. It started off for fun when being polite and then it gradually grew into his characteristic. The adoptive grandparents would spoil him with kisses whenever he did that even some aunts who didn't really care he looked Klingon. They made many nicknames, "Little bear!" "Fur ball!" "Adorable pig." "Our crescent bear." "Crestie" "Crester" and most famously in the family he was called "The Black Ninja" due to how silent and serene he was growing up. He wasn't like ordinary boys his age after being changed biologically and physically. Riez turned away. He was a science officer, acting as a ensign, and his first impression toward the crew was not likable. And he was ashamed of that.

For now, Riez had to clean his hands.


	55. Chapter 55

Being a yeomen meant a lot of things. It also meant that one didn't have a rank as a servant. Some might consider that old fashioned and outdated. It wasn't outdated for Choel Abbingding. As long as they got paid, it was fine. Not that they had an interest in science, navigation, security, nursing, command, engineering, and so on. A yeoman's duty was a powerful one as it mattered to the crew. Keeping them in shape and following orders were part of the natural orders of things. So when Abbingding learned that their assigned officer had been under the power of a entity, there was no screaming, no terror, nothing short of shock. Space was a mystery and so this was to be expected. Their grandparents were engineers. Their parents were scientists. They didn't expect to have someone who identified such as Abbingding. Their boots echoed down the hall right behind them. There were two security officers posted in front of Dehner's quarters.

"Good morning, Lieutenant Robertin, Lieuteant Hartley." Abbingding said.

Robertin smiled.

"Good morning, Abbingding." Robertin said.

Abbingding appeared to be alarmed at first hearing the squeaky, high pitched voice belonging to the man. He hadn't spoken to anyone since he arrived on the Enterprise but rather in sign and using the comn terminal to communicate when it was appropriate. She was raised in a deaf house and seeing someone who had been mute now turned speaking was quite revolutionary. It was a startling revelation. Abbingding blinked, reeling in what they just saw. It was startling. But also unexpected.

"Morning, Choel." Hartley said.

"Did you have breakfast?" Abbingding managed to get out.

The men shook their heads.

"I am going to get my breakfast after this and eat alone," Robertin said. "The best way to eat, preferably. Did you know introverts were mainly used back in the day as marines to get shit done?"

"I am aware of that." Hartley said. "And it still surprises me every day."

"And you are an introvert?" Abbingding asked.

"I don't want to be here but I am supposed to be here." Robertin said. "I prefered it when I couldn't speak." He folded his arms. "I hate my voice."

"We all do during our growth spurt." Abbingding said. "You have not heard the worse."

"Consider yourself lucky." Hartley said. "Most men got it worse."

Abbingding entered Dehner's quarters to find the woman laying down on the couch with her head on the pillow and both hands on her lap. There was a glow about her eyes, "Abbingding." It nearly scared them out of their living lights. They cleared their throat feeling themselves tremble. So the rumors going around were true. They recomposed themselves then came over to the couch and laid the tray on the table. Dehner faced the direction of the young person across from her. She could see them, grayed, and wrinkled, shorter but otherwise in a unique outfit that was black and blue with a cane in their hand. It was a interesting concept to see. Abbingding exhaled, releasing the tension that they were experiencing.

"Do not be afraid, Abbinding." Dehner said.

"Your breakfast." Abbingding said.

"I do not feel up to having it." Dehner said.

"You are a carbon unit. It has been more than eleven hours since you last ate." Abbingding said. "It is my duty to make sure you are walking and not starving yourself."

"My body is undergoing changes you cannot understand." Dehner straightened up, sitting on the couch.

"Changes?" Abbingding repeated, frowning. "I understand change better than you do." Abbingding walked around the chair then over to the couch. "Feeling like your body has decided something that you are not agreeing with. That your gender is what you are. I argue otherwise. I am neither male nor female. I have no identity that identifies my body. As our prior discussions went, I do not talk about this often." Their fingers landed on the shoulders of the woman. "Can you feel this?"

Their fingers rubbed back and forth on Dehner's shoulder.

"I was not aware you had this gift."

"You are relaxed." Abbingding said. "You must refuel yourself. Because if you don't, the body you are inhabiting will cease to exist, and, well, you will get weaker instead of stronger. Hearing your stomach growling is never a good thing."

"True." Dehner said.

"I accept my stomach is the boss of me on some occasions," Abbingding said. "But never when it comes to duty. You are not on duty." The tray floated over to Dehner's lap. "Are you on duty?"

"No, entity." Dehner said.

A smile appeared on their face, while they felt pleased.

"Thank you." Abbingding said. "I will not leave until you have finished that plate. Super entity or no entity." She looked toward the woman to see the hazel eyes were clear again. The smile grew wider and their eyes lit up. "Now there is our psychiatrist."


	56. Chapter 56

Ensign turned Lieutenant Jefferson was assigned the morning shift. Most officers by this time had their dinner but to him, he had his breakfast. His yeomen exited the room with the empty tray. He had a running fear that whatever was above his head was going to fall and kill him on the spot with a sickening crack. It reminded him just how his friend died saving his life. He rubbed his forehead with a sigh. _Get yourself out of the game_ , Jefferson thought. _It's never going to happen_. Which he was failing at reassuring himself, terribly. He felt sick inside. That really hadn't left in the week that was passing. They were possibly stranded in space for the next three to five years if engineering didn't get the engines fully repaired on time.

"That is very sick of you to replay that in your head over and over." Gary said.

Jefferson buried his face into his hands.

"What do you know?" Jefferson asked.

"There is nothing you could have done." Gary said. "Away missions carry the risk of death."

"You weren't there." Jefferson asked.

"I can see it happening." Gary said. "A security officer's duty is to protect and to save lives."

"Yes, it is." Jefferson said.

"You are wasting his sacrifice playing it over and over in your head." Gary said. "Think what he would say about that." Jefferson became silent. "He would be pissed off about it that is how he would react." Jefferson looked up. "If I sacrificed myself to save someone else then I would be showing my fury."

Jefferson sighed.

"It was my first away mission." Jefferson said

"And you successfully brought back someone." Gary said.

Jefferson sighed, feeling that pain again in his heart.

"You don't get it. It was someone I . . I knew and respected." Jefferson said.,

"I understand that part. I don't understand why organic units get attachments to each other and beat themselves up when their friend dies." Gary said. "It is a mystery, to those up there," He twirled at the ceiling. "Why you go back to make sure they are dead or to avenge the fallen. That vengeance applies to all species. Klingons share that, Vulcans share it, and Romulans share that taste."

"You never seen a Romulan in your life." Jefferson said.

"I have, actually. I have seen a lot of them in my lifetime." Gary said, then he shrugged. "But then again," He held his arms up. "I am trapped in this pathetic, fragile body. I am going stronger by every minute that passes." He raised his arm up. "Prepare to die, meat."

Jefferson felt himself being lifted off the chair, his throat tightening, and terror consuming him. He grabbed at his phaser only to feel that it was gone. He looked over to see that it was traveling through the room toward the hole in the brig. The grip on his neck was tightening. Was this how he was going to die? That was a terrible way to go. Cheesey, possibly, unpredictable. His mind raced. His thoughts were becoming jumbled as a thousand solutions to this came into his mind. A thousand other mundane ways he could have died. He didn't want to die. But he could have solved his fear of dying earlier by talking to Dehner in depth. How he really felt about this. The survivors guilt. His air was running out. Tighter. Tighter. In his minds eye, he saw his life being played back starting from the beginning. Memories that he hadn't thought of. His parents shouting in joy when he said his first word. Starting to walk. Going out with his boyfriends and girlfriends to a high school ball. Meeting Renolds after a bad break up. Renolds in detention with him when the Battle of Vulcan occurred with other students. Their breaths stolen once hearing the news Vulcan was destroyed. It was Jefferson who was hurt the most. He had a Vulcanian girlfriend on Vulcan. And she wasn't among the survivors. He felt their bond snap. Break into pieces. This was probably the wrath of the great of the bird of the galaxy for becoming engaged with a Vulcan. Was he insane? Probably. A little bit. Jefferson stopped struggling. The memories were going quick in the life review and it ended with a smile on Gary's face. He only heard the sounds of boot steps when he lost consciousness.


	57. Chapter 57

John was in sick bay with a cane to help him walk. Jefferson's vocal cords were crushed and it meant he would never speak again. They were so fragile that even if with the technology they had, repairing them would be a waste of time. They would never sound the same again. Sound entirely like a different person. Jefferson was lucky that he hadn't been tossed against the wall nor been smacked down to the floor by the side of his face racketing his brain around his cranium. The dermal regenerator had been used to repair what other parts of the neck that could be saved. He jotted down on the padd: Mr Jefferson is mute. Never before had John expected himself to write that phrase down on the padd. He always thought being mute would be solved by this point. Medicine had come so far from the earlier days of eliminating cancer. Hand cancer. Neck cancer. Surely with the laser technology.

"How is he, Bones?" Jim asked.

"All he needs to know is how to sign and he is good to go." John said. "It will take him a year to learn." He looked over toward the bald young man. "Poor kid." His eyes traveled in the direction of the young captain and the commander. "You are goin' to kill that bastard before the entity does this to the next officer he comes across?"

"No." Jim said.

It was point blank and decisive.

John couldn't argue with that as much as it hurt that Jim was keeping a killer on his ship. Jim had strong convictions about harboring a murder even in the academy when it came to roleplaying situations for class that it did happen. Court Martials were a rare occurrence in star fleet yet it was important to have officers prepared for such occurrence. Not that they were taped on media and shown, it was a private in door courtroom that reminded John of the one he would have to attend in the late 2040's as John Kennex after the fact. Dorian would back him up on many of the cases. It probably hurt Jim more than it hurt John because this was their close friend Gary hurting people. Jim is hurt. He is just good at hiding it.

"There is a nearby planet with a industrial facility that has been abandoned for some time." Spock said. "Used to be a major player in the mining industry with Delta Vega. It is not a environment that one should be in for their natural lives."

"So a desert." John said.

"Affirmative." Spock said, with a nod.

"Delta Vega II." Jim said. "The only place we can leave people like Dehner and Gary."

"I am not goin' to argue about how unethical it is but it is the right thin' to do." John said, leaning forward on the tips of his toes and bounced then fell back onto his feet. Jim looked over in the direction of Jefferson then back to John. "Say, is the engines gettin' near to repairs?"

"Ninety-four percent." Spock replied. "From Mr Scott's prior report."

"Thank you." John said.

The communicator beeped.

"Kirk here." Jim said.

"Ve are nearing the planet, keptain." Pavel's voice came over the communicator.

"Mr Chekov, your timing is impeccable." Jim said. "Kirk out."

Pavel, from the bridge, mockingly repeated, "Your timing is impeccable."- while earning a side glance from Hikaru who was taking coffee from the tray that Janice was walking around the bridge with. -" Of course it is impeccable, Russians are never late." Spock is the first to leave to begin the landing party. Jim turned in the direction of the doctor. John was sitting down in the chair letting out a sigh of relief. It was going to be over. Hopefully. This entire scenario. Jim put the communicator away into his jean pocket to the left.

"Say, I have heard rumors that you are dating all ready."

"I am insulted." John said. "You know me better."

"This is a small ship." Jim said.

"No, no, no," John said. "That was just for Stay Alive."

"Stay Alive?" Jim said. The name sounded familiar. Too familiar. If it was familiar, it was probably for a good damn reason. Probably costed lives.

John nodded.

"That game." John said.

And that done in John's voice indicated: _yes, it's dangerous to the lives of the gamers._

"But it was destroyed over three two hundred years ago." Jim said.

"That's what everyone thought until an idiot brought it back. It ruins lives than servin' as entertain'." John said. "Now it is gettin' removed from all gamin' systems in star fleet." He leaned back into the chair set along the desk. Jim raised his eyebrows up even further at the mention the game was getting. "It is not a pretty picture if you ask me."

"No one has told me about this game." Jim said. "Someone would have told me."

Thank god for that!, John thought as a smile grew on his face.

"Good," John said. "Because there are better games that don't kill you in real life. It's freaky. Too freaky for my taste."

"You know what is freaky?" Jim asked. "You, with a beard. You look like your favorite actor Karl Urban from one of his horror movies." John laughed at Jim's comment. Clearly, poking fun at his friend had not changed. "I mean, you look worse than Urban did in his cowboy movies."

"Those were good movies." John said.

"Yes, they were," Jim said. "But your beard doesn't agree with your eyebrows."

"Your beard was worse." John said.

Jim appeared to be appalled, faking it, dramatically.

"That was for the sake of a project." Jim said. "It was for a survival project."

"It made look you older and I liked it." John said.

"So I had to get rid of it." Jim said.

"I am keeping it." John said.

"I don't think Christine likes it." Jim leaned off the table then headed off in the direction of Spock.

"Hey Christy-" John started to say.

"I hate it!" Samantha said, passing by John.

John appeared to be utterly devastated and gravely betrayed by his sister of all people.

"But-" John said.

And then there was a primal scream coming directly from Jefferson. Christine came over to the man's side picking up a hypospray then injected him. He calmed down, his heart rate lowering, his eyes panicking looking from side to side. John tapped his way to the side of the man's biobed. He felt fear and confusion. Jefferson was deeply confused. He should be dead not alive. Was this the wrath of god for living and Renolds not? Or was his wrath for punching himself with that scene over and over? Probably that, he probably deserved it. He wouldn't question god if he had done something that deserved this. Everyone done bad once in their life. Screw up or no screw up.

"You are fine, Harvey." Samantha said, one hand on her shoulder.

"I am sorry, Mr Jefferson," John said. "You are mute. You will need to learn sign, I have a patient who can willingly teach you it. And it is Robertin Harvey," Jefferson's eyes widened as he shook his head. He barely knew the man! He was the king of introverts. The king of sneaking up on someone and giving them a punch! He was afraid. Not often was he afraid of mute people but this man killed in hand to hand combat class. He didn't really kill people, he was just too good at it. Jim Kirk knew that, he was the damn instructor of it! One tap on the shoulder and you were tossed then pinned to the ground without a warning when going up to him to inform him that he was his partner. Sure he knew him in the academy.

But only as the berserk mute cadet who should not be touched.


	58. Chapter 58

Lieutenant Kelso knew that Gary was still in there. He was the one who first pointed out the Starboard Impulse Pack was burned. They could have activated it that activated a explosion in the impulse deck and left them stranded. Stranded in open space. The only way to leave would have been through escape pods or the shuttle pods since rebuilding a impulse deck would take weeks at the nearest star base. They had enough shuttles for the four hundred thirty crew members aboard. Kelso had known Gary back at the academy in the hand to hand combat courses with Jim. They were close friends. Kelso was in his red standard uniform but it was a different variation that didn't feel see through. It was like he went out and got himself a casual red shirt then stitched the star fleet emblem and put it over his standard short sleeved regulation shirt. You could actually rip the old shirt actually easy and turn it into a bandanna as some of the crew members have gone to do what Kelso did. A few of them turned them into hijabs.

"What's wron', Lieutenant?" Scotty asked, as he stopped at the man's side.

Kelso shook his head then had a sigh, bringing himself back to reality.

"Mitch." Kelso said.

"Aye, poor lad." Scotty said.

"I was just thinking how it's unfair that he helped us with the starboard impulse pack and yet. . ." The man paused. "It's just too unfair. Whatever he is fighting is losing some control and he is . . . or was. . . talking to me in sick bay. I didn't expect him to go on out and hurt Jefferson."

Scotty put a hand on the man's shoulder.

"Laddie," Scotty said. "We all make mistakes. And we can't control what happens next."

"Yes, sir, I am aware." Kelso said. "But after he has gone through. . . There's no way to help him."

Scotty had a look of sympathy.

"Frustratin'." Scotty said.

"Yes." Kelso said, with a nod.

"I get how ye feel," Scotty said. "I was the same way after losin' that prized beagle."

"You were?" Kelso asked.

"I was nae pretty afterwards." Scotty said. "Someone found him and brought him back this year. He was lucky." He patted the man's shoulder. "Not all of us are lucky. Count yer luck that Gary just prevented us from gettin' stranded in space."

"Aye, sir." Kelso said. Scotty let a kind, comforting smile at the man then went past him. "Gary."

His communicator made the standard beeping sound as it vibrated on the table.

* * *

 **. . . Corridor. . .**

 **. . . Thirty-five minutes later. . .**

"Captain, may I ask why we are escorting the two in one group?" Spock inquired.

"Because it is the most safe and precise way of making sure they don't kill anyone." Jim said.

"Miss Dehner should have been sent down first as she does not pose a threat." Spock said

"Did you hear what she said about Doctor McCoy?" Jim asked. That reference of John as doctor meant it was serious.

"Affirmative." Spock said. "But she has no interest in him. Or harming anyone for that matter."

"Someone once told me it is better to be prepared than being left in the open without a shield and a spear," Jim said. "I believe that was Gary."

"I understand your feelings for the doctor but he can take care of himself." Spock said.

Jim didn't look back at Dehner's direction.

"Now, if I had some coffee-" Jim said, while in a discussion with Spock.

"Here, captain." Janice appeared out of thin air with the tray that had one last coffee mug.

"Thank you, Yeomen." Jim said, with a smile taking the coffee mug.

"You are welcome, captain," Janice said. Spock looked in the direction that she came completely alarmed and confused on how efficient she was when he did not hear her. "Good luck on Delta Vega II."

Jim took a sip from the coffee mug as he waved back at her. Janice passed by the security officers around Dehner and Gary who were in cuffs. Abbingding was alongside the doorway seeing their friend being surrounded by academy colleagues such as Lee Kelso, Benjamin Harris, Luhke Phone, Faillis The'ine, Chon Wayne, and Owen Golfer. All of which were in security except for Lee Kelso who also doubled as a security officer. Janice came to the side of Abbingding then placed a hand on their shoulder as they watched their friend go down the hall. Abbingding had a sad sigh then looked over in the direction of Janice with a worried expression on their face.

"I am scared we are not going to see them again." Abbingding said.

"We all are." Janice said. "Come on," She gestured over her shoulder. "Want to play 3-D chess in the rec room?"

"It has been awhile since I played 3-D chess." Abbingding admitted. "I always lost though."

"I am not as a good player as the commander is." Janice also admitted. "We may end up in a tie. Just a warning for you."

"Ah," Abbingding said. "So I may have a equal opponent."

"Pretty much." Janice said.

"Don't feel bad about it." Abbingding said. "I didn't have a equal opponent when I first started playing chess."

"My first opponent was my father." Janice said. "And he let me win, every time." Janice took her hand off the woman's shoulder. "When he wasn't piloting to Federation space. . ." Abbingding and Janice walked down the opposite direction the group was heading. "Would you like to hear a story about helping slaves to the continent equivalent to Canada?"

"I love to." Abbingding said, with a intrigued expression on their face. "Do tell."


	59. Chapter 59

Winona was on Star Base 1 in the lounging hall. Her ship had finally came in for shore leave and she didn't feel like returning to Earth. Not for now. It had been twenty-five years since she lost George. Twenty five. She impressed herself every day for continuing on. George would have been proud of how she was without him. Star Fleet did need its engineers. Asides to starting bar fights and ending up making fights by accident, it was all going fine. Her girlfriends had taken on the roles of dragging her ass out of there before it became heated. She saw her ship, a Constitution class, resting in space while docked. She half wondered how her son was doing. She shook her head. _He is fine, Winnie_ , Winona told herself. George would have told her that. While he had one arm wrapped around her shoulder and another hand on her hand. Jim is a fully grown man capable of taking care himself. He wasn't thirteen. She hadn't gotten messages from him since he went out into deep space. She was half worried that her son would make a mess of himself, professionally, or end up getting into a situation that he wouldn't come back out of with his health.

Jim went to Tarsus IV, and came back, skin and bone, and- She couldn't exactly forgive herself for letting Sam and Jim live with Uncle Frank. The Tarsus Nine were still out there in Star Fleet or out of it. She could still remember the reporters and media coverage hovering around her son and herself. The clothes that Jim, as a emaciated child, wore then clung to the boy's girly body. frank was at a loss, struck with a sheer blinding realization that stung, and drank himself to death afterwards. Despite having caused Jim pain, this broke the back of the camel. Not knowing where Sam went. Sam didn't come back in that difficult time. Getting Jim back up into a living, healthy boy was a challenge she accepted with her might and effort. A friend of the family moved over to make sure Jim grew up properly however hot headed and quite a mess he was. They stayed until he was of age and moved back. Winona half wondered how Sam was. Her little boys were grown men. And she could not help but worry about them. She hoped McCoy was still looking out for him. After all, she had approved of the man when Jim brought him over for a Christmas party. He was so polite and nice and sweet. He did her many favors in the three years that they knew each other. That man made Jim happy and he made himself happy because of that. Despite grumbling and complaining, McCoy enjoyed being around Jim. That much she knew because of the look in his eyes.

A part of Winona feels it should have been obvious that her son would become a captain at a early age. He was thirteen years old when he crashed that car. Thirteen years old when Kodos demanded half of the colony, four thousand people, including him, to be put to death. Kevin Riley lost his parents to the execution so Riley grew up with Jim for a time in Iowa until relatives were found. Winona was there when Jim promised Riley that they would serve on the same ship. The Irish boy was delighted. He hugged the two goodbye before being driven off. Jim tear eyed and breaking down into her arms feeling like it was truly over. He didn't have to worry about protecting his little group anymore. He had nightmares about it so Winona would wake up at nights and comfort her boy. He ate a lot more than a person usually would. Unhealthy as some Vulcans called it. Fattening. And he still looked like a young man in his late twenties despite that since, logically, he should have an unequal balanced body fat. But being a captain? Plenty of exercise for him and activities as well. The academy kept him busy, too.

"Come on, darlin'," Came a southern voice. Our view turned toward the doorway to show Kirk Prime and McCoy Prime side by side. McCoy Prime had his arm joined with Kirk Prime who seemed to be paralyzed at where he stood unable to move. "She has to meet you."

"Why did you have to bring me here?" Kirk Prime asked.

"Because I love you and your mother needs reassurance that is goin' to be fine." McCoy Prime said, as a woman in a hijab passed by them. "Spock is dealin' with New Vulcan issue and I thought this would be healthy for you. Spock did too, it was his idea."

"You are lucky I love you." Kirk Prime said.

"Don't be scared," McCoy Prime said. "Everyone gets scared when they do this."

"No, no one has done this before." Kirk Prime said. McCoy Prime frowned, furrowing his eyebrows.

"Approachin' their parent from the future but old," McCoy Prime said. "You forgot the time my daughter's future self approached me durin' our golden days."

"I did forget that." Kirk Prime said.

"And then she went back to die." McCoy Prime said. "That was the best week I had on the Enterprise A. No buts about it."

"Bones," Kirk Prime said. "How did she come from Austin, Texas?"

"I haven't really thought about it." McCoy Prime said.

"And get her hands on a time related device?" Kirk Prime asked.

"We will never know, Jim." McCoy Prime said. "Now let's go and talk to your mother."

McCoy Prime forced Kirk forward and they came over to the woman sitting on the couch letting herself relax. Their arms slid out of the position that they were in to holding hands, together. McCoy Prime saw how young Winona was. He hadn't thought she was that pretty in her late forties. But yet she was. It was like they were in the wrong place. McCoy Prime looked toward his grayed husband, undoubtedly confused. Winona appeared to be different but otherwise the resemblance between Kirk Kelvin and Kirk Prime were too great to be ignored. They turned their heads away from each other. Kirk Prime remembered how young she was when raising him and his brother. She was the one who taught Ji-Kirk Prime to ride a horse. Kirk Prime cleared his throat.

"Hello, mom." Kirk Prime finally said it.

Winona looked up, in alarmed.

"Tiberius?" Winona looked up toward Kirk Prime. "Should you be with Terisa?"

"Terisa and Tiberius are gettin' a divorce because Tiberius and Terisa can't stand each other." McCoy Prime said, earning a glare from Kirk Prime. "What?" He looked taken back. "You know it is true."

Winona than paled.

"Just because I told you the timeline of my grandfather doesn't mean we spoil their divorce outting." Kirk Prime said.

"She all ready knew they were gettin' a divorce." McCoy Prime

"No, she didn't." Kirk Prime said.

"Yes, she did. 2257, Terisa told me that at the time she was all ready considerin' divorcing your grandfather and she had told your mother." McCoy Prime said. She recognized the two men. Her mouth fell slack seeing the two old men. "And James Miller, at this time, is gettin' a back surgery."

"Since when did he get back surgery?" Kirk Prime asked.

"When he fell off the horse yesterday. He didn't die in his sleep. He died during surgery, unexpectedly, and there was no foul play." McCoy Prime said. "Peter told me how Winona revealed some family secrets you still don't know."

Kirk Prime looked so much like Tiberius except for the lack of the light blue eyes. Blue eyes was a common denominator in the family tree of Kirk's. Her father, James, had hazel eyes. Tiberius had blue eyes. James would mock Tiberius for how uncanny he looked like Admiral Shatner. It was a joke at every occasion James and Tiberius met up with that usually started with, "Hey, shouldn't you be. . " and at Jim's twenty-fifth birthday held in Iowa, coded as a family reunion. James and Tiberius had a family friendly rivalry, butt heads, and were namely frenemies. The first time they met, it was a brawl over the Dallas Cowboys at a bar. The second time they met, it was the two being introduced each other and they sniped at each other. Both wives were terrified of this passive aggressive war between the fathers and Winona at first thought they were doomed. James was a historian who specialized in history. Tiberius lived in that history. As it turned out, both fathers approved of the couple. But their perspectives on each other was questionable and needed to be "Thoroughly uncovered, every stone un-turned, and see if this man is really lying" as quoted by Tiberius. Tiberius had immense pride in his grandson being enlisted in Star Fleet. Tiberius was no longer enlisted since he retired but he would gladly jump back in to serve Star Fleet if they wanted him back in.

Winona got a sinking feeling at the mention of her father dying in surgery. Her heart sank. She could see both James and Tiberius in Kirk Prime merged into one man. He had broad shoulders, the not-very-heavy eyebrows, the rounded ears, the circular body Tiberius had not yet to get in his sixty year old body but James had that body, the short arms James had, the large hands Tiberius had, the rounded face seen usually from James, and kind compassionate eyes that she usually saw in George. He was a short man compared to McCoy Prime. The doctors told Winona that her son would likely be a short man due to the lack of nutrition he faced in Tarsus IV. She heard her heart pounding listening to the discussion of the two elderly men. Kirk Prime had George's smile when McCoy Prime made a comment that lifted his mood. Their comments were easily in character of McCoy and Jim Kirk.

"Jimmy?" Winona said.

"Yes?" Kirk Prime looked toward Winona. His hair was curly much like James was.

She looked over toward the old, silver haired doctor.

"Lenny?" Winona said, again.

McCoy Prime smiled.

"We can explain, Winnie," McCoy Prime said. The two men sat on the wide couch alongside the engineer. "Now, Ambassador Spock can explain it better than I can but the thin' is . . ." McCoy Prime paused. "We are from the original timeline."

"The one where dad never died." Kirk Prime said.

"And Frank?" Winona asked.

"What about Frank?" Kirk Prime asked.

"Did he die earlier from alcohol posionin'?" McCoy Prime asked.

"Yes, he did." Winona said.

"That much didn't change." Kirk Prime said.

"But he drank himself to death because he sent my little boy to Tarsus IV." Winona said.

Kirk Prime was silent. Internally, he was screaming. This should never had happened. His father had been stationed on there and so had Winona and Sam-They were fortunate not to have been selected by Kodos for execution. The video was forever etched in his memory. The man with the red goatee and that face. It had taken him decades to heal over it. Kevin Riley was the last survivor who died in the prime timeline. Frank killing himself over that? It was heartbreaking. His younger counterpart probably had it harder without having a father who understood what he did and wished him the best of luck surviving out there and gave him some rations to help the little group survive. He felt his chest tighten at the mention of Tarsus IV.

 _T'hy'la,_ Spock Prime soothing voice came through the bond, _are you all right?_

Kirk Prime was disturbed as he leaned forward rubbing his forehead.

 _I am fine, Ashaya_ , Kirk Prime replied, _I just learned . . . a greatly disturbing fact_.

A wave of comfort and sympathy channeled through the bond toward Kirk Prime washing over him, devouring him, actually making him feel slightly better but his mouth tasted sour. True, he was a walking example of what can happen when one doesn't exercise much and eats a lot. But that's a side effect of Tarsus and its lingering scars on him. His small stature was a excellent example of it. The doctors told him he wouldn't grow taller than he was when they looked at him and made sure he was fit to be in society again. The bitter, uneasy scenario made his stomach twist up. It felt like it. McCoy Prime put a hand on the man's shoulder.

"Winnie," McCoy Prime said. "I want you to do me a favor. . ."

"What kind of favor?" Winona asked.

"Call me David when we are with Jim Jr." McCoy Prime said. "David Grayson."

Winona was confused.

"He should know your name." Winona said.

"Trust me, there is a reason why he shouldn't tell. Because it would be like someone someone rin's the cows bell and all the horses running lose and all that is left is a abandoned farm." McCoy Prime said.

"More like digging a pond and expecting for ducks." Kirk Prime said.

"That too." McCoy Prime agreed. "It does more harm than good."

"I understand." Winona said. "You are trying to protect my boy."

McCoy Prime looked over toward Kirk Prime with a small smile then turned is head back toward Winona.

"It's a life lon' mission, Winnie." McCoy Prime said.

"Call me George in front of my younger self," Kirk Prime said. "I prefer if he developed on his own without my meddling."

"Or call him bubble butt." McCoy Prime said.

"That is immature, Bones." Kirk Prime said, shooting a glare at the doctor.

"At this time, chronologically, you are still immature." McCoy Prime said.

"I am insulted." Kirk Prime said.

"But I am right, accordin' to our little tweeters on the Enterprise." McCoy Prime said. "Or, you can just call him Samson." Kirk leaned back with a groan muttering, "I was just joking." "It is in his new file that Star Fleet was obligated to make under Ambassador Spock's requests."

"Is this why we have whales and previously extinct marine wildlife on Earth again?" Winona asked.

"Yes." Kirk Prime said, with a nod. "It was our final mission."

"Gillian Taylor met him as Samson." McCoy Prime said. "Now we have an expert marine biologist in Star Fleet."

"Samson. . ." Winona started to laugh. "Samson!" She threw her head back with a laugh. It was a entertained laugh. "You picked my mother's middle name."

"I know it is embarrassing." Kirk Prime said.

"We never used it for your last name because of that," Winona said. "We could have made your last name Samson. James Tiberius Samson. Or Tiberius Samson."

"Mooom." Kirk Prime said.

"Was it on the table before you named him?" McCoy Prime asked. "I never heard anyone mention Samson durin' the family reunions."

"Yes." Winona said, with a fond smile. "We would have named our little uni Jannie if he had been a woman."

"Uni. As in, unisex?" McCoy Prime asked.

"Yes." Winona said. _That's interesting_ , McCoy Prime thought with a raised eyebrow that then lowered.

"I was never unisex." Kirk Prime said. "I was born a girl."

"This timeline, you were." McCoy Prime said, as Winona looked at Kirk Prime in wonder.

"You were a rebellious little child." Winona said. "It was exciting to see my little uni transition into a proud, little boy."

"Imagine how embarrassing it would have been for Jannie Tiberia Samson." McCoy Prime said.

"Or have the last name Miller." Winona said.

"I thought I would never get to use it." Kirk Prime admitted. McCoy Prime was basking in the glory of the embarrassment with a fresh smile on his face. The admiral sighed. "I am stuck with it."

"And by the way," McCoy Prime said. "We are married to a Vulcan. He is a real sweetheart."

"He is." Kirk Prime nodded. "His name is S'Chn T'Gai Spock."

"But if you like to say his name in Vulcanian. . . " McCoy Prime said. "His family name is Xtmprsqzntwlfb."

"Xtremblr sqzent wlfb." Winona repeated. "Ex tremble squint wolf."

"No," McCoy Prime said. "But that is a good effort." He had a small smile at that, as though a memory crossed his mind, at the moment in time when he too was getting used to saying it. The damn Vulcan was right then, a given human could not say it at first. With enough practice, it could be said. "You are goin' to have to get adjusted to saying Xtmprsqzntwlfb-Kirk in the near future."

Kirk Prime nodded.

"It is . . . . Kirk and Xtmprsqzntwlfb-Kirk . . . in our household." Kirk Prime said.

"You three are married then it must be Kirk, Xtme . . prsqzn . . . twlfb-Kirk, and McCoy." Winona said.

"That is pretty right," Kirk Prime said. "Almost."

"But you need time." McCoy Prime said.

"Say. . ." Winona said. "Was I a grandparent because of you in your timeline?"

"Twice." Kirk Prime said, holding his fingers up. "Once by . . . " He stopped short. "And twice by me."

"It was Jim and Spock's child." McCoy Prime said. "His name is Sterek, currently in Star Fleet, as a chief medical officer on the USS Hope A."

"He has been commanding since we left." Kirk Prime said.

"He still looks twenty." McCoy Prime said. "So youthful."

"One hundred when he first took command." Kirk Prime said.

"Did I ever get to meet him?" Winona said.

"You practically raised him, mom." Kirk Prime said.

"I raised a little Kirk." Winona said, with a comforted expression on her face.

"Pointed ears and he got into trouble . . . . more than I did as a child." Kirk Prime said. "You did, mom and you were an . . . excellent parent. Growing up . . . . under your wing . . . really showed."

"Running into the stalls of horses."

"I can all ready see him." Winona said, dreamily.

"He looked more like Spock than me." Kirk Prime admitted.

"He had black hair and green skin." McCoy Prime said. "His hair cut was more like Jim but as a baby."

There was irritation from Spock's end of the bond. They were in the process of adopting orphans to keep them on their feet. Spock was likely dealing with the ageist perspective. But what Spock was complaining about in his little corner of the bond was how rude the younger Vulcan was. Vulcans were not known to be rude even. Even after revealing who he was, the Vulcan only grew ruder. Spock was leaving the adoption agency and had apparently just told a elderly couple his experience. The Vulcans needed all the help they could get. Elderly and the young. Spock was in a foul mood. And he was using colorful metaphors to emphasize his experience, some of them vulgar. It was most amusing to McCoy to hear the Vulcan swearing a shit storm. You can't talk with him when he is complaining. He was actually worse than McCoy when it came to complaining. When he complained, it was sophisticated as hell.

"I want to meet your Spock." Winona said. "I have plenty of saved time."

"He is not in the mood to talk with people." Kirk Prime said.

"This is now, darlin'," McCoy Prime said. "He will be in the mood to talk in an hour with Winona. Besides, he never got the last word with her on a discussion regardin' taking care of a adolescent Vulcan and actively encouragin' them to find a mate."

Winona laughed.

"I make the worst parent to encourage their child to find a boyfriend or girlfriend." Winona said.

"It really shows." Kirk Prime said. "Dad did all of that."

"Did he ever command a ship?" Winona asked.

"He did." Kirk Prime said. "He was a good captain. It was my main inspiration behind joining star fleet." His eyes looked off into the distance where there was space ahead. "Grandpa Tiberius told some exaggerated stories. Working alongside Admiral Shatner and ending up acting as a double to smuggle him out of some dim, dark points in being captive. At least when Tibierius wasn't gloating about how Star Fleet was and how proud he was of my father for joining Star Fleet."

"I wasn't there with him." Winona said.

"You were not. . . You couldn't stay at one place for a time after I turned five. . . So, we went traveling," Kirk Prime said. "Dad would come back . . . . when it was shore leave on Earth. We kept this up . . . until dad came back for a planet side mission, Science Officer, as Commander Kirk. Then we went to Tarsus IV. Dad never liked Kodos. There was something about him . . . that he hated. Sometimes Grandpa Tiberius and Grandpa James . . . would take me camping . . . when you dropped me off at their RV. They camped at Yosemite, often, while . . ." He paused, deliberately, at a fond memory. "Sniping at each other."

"Sounds like me and Spock." McCoy Prime said.

"And Mount Rushmore." Jim went on. "I usually helped making the fire. You and dad . . . were getting reacquainted to each other . . . . when I was twelve. Before . . . we . . . went . . . to Tarsus IV."

"Your father would never have liked him." Winona said. "Now hearing that from my son makes it more concrete." She looked toward the two men with her eyes full of intent. "Now, tell me how long I have to wait to be a grandparent."

The men shrugged.

"Nero screwed it up." Kirk Prime said.

"Might take a year until Spock's biology catches up with him due to the loss of Vulcan," McCoy Prime said. "Possibly three years dependin' on how slow they take it."

"It took Spock and I a year." Kirk Prime said.

"That is a slow start." Winona said.

"You don't know the start of it," McCoy Prime said. "I reckon it was love at first sight."

"No, it wasn't." Kirk Prime said.

"I always pegged my boy to be a love at first sight kind of man." Winona said. "Love at first sight."

McCoy Prime and Winona shared a fist bump.

"Five years to get me in." McCoy Prime said. "They courted me five years. In space."

"I suspect they will attempt this time around." Kirk Prime said.

"And fail!" McCoy Prime said. "That's what will come of our counterparts this time around."

Kirk Prime had a sad expression.

"That too." Kirk Prime said.

"Four years." Winona said. "Sarek was our . . ." She paused. "Mascot."

The two admiral's eyebrows shot up.

"I didn't know you and Sarek knew each other in the academy." Kirk Prime said.

"That wasn't a secret Peter told me." McCoy Prime was alarmed.

"Amanda brought us together." Winona said. "I am sure she will be happy to be a grandparent, too."

"I am surprised that Spock doesn't know that." McCoy Prime said.

"Come on," Kirk Prime said. "We have a ride back to New Vulcan."

"For a day." McCoy Prime said.

"Our makeshift apartment doesn't have a guest room." Kirk Prime said.

"But it will, soon," McCoy Prime said. "Gettin' a child would take a year according to Vulcan adoption customs. So we have a year to get the house ready if we were allowed to adopt."

"Surely, there must be some orphaned humans you can adopt if that doesn't work out." Winona said.

Kirk Prime beamed a smile back.

"We are still working that part out." Kirk Prime said.

"Got denied but we are gettin' ready, regardless of it." McCoy Prime said.

"You two are the most stubborn old men I met." Winona said. "And part of me feels thrilled that you are going to be around to see your son be a little baby again."

Kirk Prime and McCoy Prime shared a fond glance then back to Winona and nodded slowly.


	60. Chapter 60

"Lassie, where is the impulse phaser?" Scotty asked, once coming up to the counter at the weapons division department.

Lieutenant Jabir looked at Scotty with a raised eyebrow. She had a red hijab and was in a long sleeved red dress that had her ranking on the sleeves. She had light brown skin, hazel eyes, and a lot of freckles. She had thin eyebrows with light blue eyeliner that made her eyes stand out. She was taller than Scotty by three feet. At firsts glance one might mistaken her for a Vulcan because of the eyebrows that were shaped like a bull's horns. She was not as thin as Nyota but had a wide bust and a circular stomach that wasn't flat.

"It is in the back." Jabir said. She tilted her head. "Why do you need it?"

"The captain requires it." Scotty said.

Jabir nodded.

"I will search for it." Jabir said

 _Clickedy clack clickedy clack_ went her high heels.

Scotty leaned to the side watching the unusual high heels. How did a woman stand it? And how did anyone stand the lower part of the heels that clacked against the floor like a horse hooves? Sometimes the development of high heels boggled Scotty's mind. His mother wore heels like that. She wore them when it came to business. She didn't wear them when she worked on cars and she got herself plenty of being drunk. Scotty's father was a car lover. The sound of the heels brought him back to being a child waiting outside the principals officer and hearing his mother (and smelling the oil grease) coming down the empty hall. He straightened himself upwards. He tapped his fingers on the counter whistling a old theme tune that was stuck in hisA head. He couldn't get it out of his head. She came back with a large weapon normally seen in the hands of star fleet marines. He could see the large muscles standing out from her shoulders. It was larger compared to the average phaser and it was quite long yet it seemed to be bulky in its complete advanced glory.

"I hope the captain has a excellent reason to use it." Jabir said, her voice wavering in doubt.

Jabir carefully handed the device to Scotty.

"The commander is assured the captain knows what he is doin'." Scotty said, holding the heavy object in both arms. He flashed a smile. "Thank ye, lassie."

"You are welcome." Jabir said.

"Are you and the girls still comin' over for poker night?" Scotty asked.

"I dare not miss a rematch." Jabir said.

"Fantastic." Scotty said. "I will see you tonight."

Scotty walked away so Jabir took her communicator out.

"Abdasi to Assad." Jabir said.

"Assad here." Amrah's voice came out of the communicator. "Mister Riez and I are in the middle of studying a pet project."

"I may have told Mr Scott that we were coming back for a rematch." Jabir said.

"Your friend should think before she acts when it comes to offers regarding poker." Riez was overheard.

"Sssh." Amrah said. "You know how she likes challenges."

"And help when you were likely going to be up all night long on this 'pet project'." Riez said. "I am not continuing this project or feeding it. Your idea, your responsibility. You keep skating away from feeding it."

"I was on legitimate business." Amrah protests.

"Busy doesn't mean playing games." Riez reminded Amrah.

"He is right." Jabir agreed. "You should have told me that earlier!"

"Exactly what I said." Riez said.

"Get Rachel and the others for this round." Amrah said. "I have to take responsibility."

"One point for becoming a responsible space scientist." Riez said, as he cooed.

"Abdasi out." Jabir said, closing the communicator. She took out the nearby padd to see which of her friends were off duty to participate with her and be actively encouraging on not chickening out. It happened often in the academy.


	61. Chapter 61

John came into the transporter room with Dorian by his side as his cane clicking against the floor. It was a light, small sound that went with the scenery. Though it felt off to John, laughable, that science hadn't yet solved recovery of legs to be capable of walking after a near paralyzing experience. But that was all C-24's part in making sure he didn't get paralyzed. The captain and the commander hadn't come up yet. Dorian was in a white buttoned up shirt that lacked sleeves. The doors closed behind them. Scotty was giving advice to a short Asian woman. The white shirt had a collar and it was also tucked in.

"Their energy signatures indicate they are talking." Dorian said.

"Uh huh." John said. "For twenty minutes."

"Doctor-" Dorian started to say.

"You know as well I that superiors can't date their subordinates," McCoy said. "And if they are currently doin' somethin' that shouldn't be done durin' a damn mission of all thin's then Spock has lost his mind or they are dead and someone has somehow learned to make the appearance that they are alive."

"Doctor M'Benga and Doctor McCoy?" Scotty said, looking over in confusion.

"You are not ready to be on the field!" Dorian said.

John had a 'uh huh' at that statement not entirely convinced.

"Yes, I am and you know it." John said. He turned toward the scotsman. "Can you beam me down to the planet surface near where the captain is, Scotty?"

"Aye, doctor." Scotty said. "The captain has a impulse phaser."

"Not good enough for me." John boarded the transporter padd.

"They are probably doing what we don't want to believe." Dorian said.

"And I have a wart the size of my foot growin' on my backside." John said.

"And you snore loudly." Dorian added.

"According to you, it's silent snoring." John said. "Energise, Scotty."

In a yellow haze of light, his knapsack and cane included, the surroundings changed. He found himself inside the Minery HQ. He saw Lieutenant Kelso laying on the floor with a long string of rope around his neck. John came to the man's side then knelt down and felt for a pulse. He was dead. John sighed, taking his hand with a grave look on his face. Gary had become too powerful. He could do anything. Anything. His eyes widened. He stood back up then headed down the hallway calling Jim out, "Jim? Spock? Jim!" He heard his heart beat against his chest. The first time he experienced this was when he held a holo-call with his sister when on a case with Dorian and keeping the fact under the wraps that he had a sister at all. Lying about how she was a former date. They had a argument which ended up in Samantha blocking him on holo-call but apparently decided to call via phone abruptly afterwards. He came to the long hall where he saw the two separate brigs were turned off and empty save for a chair and a bed in the middle of them. He saw two figures laid on the floor alongside each other. In between them was the impulse phaser.

"Jim!" John came to the man's side. "Damn it, Jim. What did you get yourself into?"

John took out a hypospray containing adrenaline then pressed it along Jim's neck.

"Gary!" Jim bolted forward.

John had one hand on the man's shoulder.

"Ease your horses, Jim." John said.

Jim looked in the direction of the brig then back to John.

"Where are they?" Jim asked.

"Assuming they are not in space, outside, where the coyotes are." John said.

Jim turned toward the device.

"Get to Spock after I leave, five minutes," Jim said. "Tell him to get the Enterprise out of here if I don't come back."

John appeared to be alarmed.

"You know, if Gary is at where you think he is, Xena and her wife Gabrielle would come in handy to get rid of Gary's problem." John said. The mere mention of the two god killing women brought back terrible memories to John. That accident warped his entire reality and his life. Sam didn't understand why he was so terrified of short women for a long time. And dark haired women who were strong and defied the laws of the universe. Healing over his PTSD took more time and effort than Olduvai. Waking up with nightmares of being a green eyed monster. It only happened after he had to ditch John Kennex. "You better come back alive." Jim had a grave, serious expression on his face. It almost looked unnatural on Jim for a man who was hot headed, immature back in the academy. "I mean it. Spock or no Spock."

John took his hand off Jim's shoulder.

"It is a risk I will take, doctor." Jim said, getting up onto his feet.

Jim ran in the direction that John came from with the heavy impulse phaser in his hands. John waited and waited until it had been five minutes. John then reloaded his hypospray and applied to the neck of the Vulcan. He didn't respond. Vulcans and adrenaline were two combinations that he hadn't seen work together expecially when it came to waking them up. Vulcan biology was a mystery to Star Fleet. His vulcanian class had a rough idea that the heart was where the liver was for the vulcans and that their blood was green. Vulcans refused to disclose the internal biology of their species but after the battle of Vulcan that has surely changed. There were new files he had to comb through and he decided to procrastinate with them. Reading the biology papers made him feel god damn depressed that there wasn't a planet to visit. It was a horrid reminder that there was a endangered species. And there was nothing he could do about it. He, unlike them, was a endangered species. Sam and himself. He applied his hands alongside both parts of Spock's temples.

"Wake up, damn it," John said. "Spock," He applied pressure. "Spock, wake up." He furrowed his eyebrows as panic drove through his frame. "Spock!" He was slightly terrified that the Vulcan had fallen into a irreversible coma done by Gary's powers.

Spock's eyes fluttered open.

"Yes, doctor?" Spock inquired.

John took his hands off Spock's face.

"The captain wants you to return to the ship," John said. Spock leaned forward. "And leave with the Enterprise if he does not return."

"The captain has become emotionally compromised," Spock said. "He is not well. He is bent on making sure that Gary does not come to harm his crew."

"Over protective is he now?" John asked.

"Affirmative." Spock said.

"Spock, I have feelin' he is not supposed to be over protective." John said. "Go up to the ship. I'll come up with Lieutenant Kelso."


	62. Chapter 62

When he left the world of Hercules, John made a deal to return himself back to the way he was before. Hercules, really, was the one who supported John's decision to leave and live in a world where his biological sister was. He had missed her. Leaving Bliss and Psyche behind was painful but he didn't belong there. He was lying to himself being there. John went without a weapon. Star Fleet standardized weapon. He looked down toward a small object showing a baby cupid. It reminded him of Bliss. A little, mischievous boy with golden hair. His pretty, beautiful wings. He hid behind a rock hearing a strike of lightning. Part of the deal was he could only use his god like persona when it came to love or defending someone he really, really, really cares about. More than the world itself. He could really use Xena and Grabielle's help to get rid of this god entity taking over Gary. He looked back down to his fist and opened his hand. He briefly closed it again dotting to another boulder closer to the site in question.

John saw Jim laid unconscious on the ground with his torn shirts. His pant legs were torn even at the knee section. It was as though he wrestled against Gary. He had bruises along his neck. He had a growing bruise on his left eye. Across from Jim was a open grave with a grave stone that read "James T. Kirk" with the date of his birth and his potential death date. John felt his blood boil at that thought. John placed the knapsack, and the phaser belt, in the rock crevice. He took off both layers of his shirt as the god like man approached the unconscious man. Being killed by someone he trusted in the world of Hercules, not once, but hundreds of times for the sake of her daughter's continued survival was heartbreaking. But he understood her problem. It was pure luck Bliss and Psyche weren't there. It was a gamble. A very bad gamble. Bliss and Psyche survived Xena's attack mainly due to John hiding them where they wouldn't be found. He was not going to leave this world. Not now. Not without his sister.

"Time to meet your maker." Gary said. "You are just like the others who tried to defeat me."

John put on the necklace. He felt immense pain from his backside. His hands dug into the rock crushing it feeling sweat dripping down his skin. The first time he lost his, thanks to the deal, it was a otherwise not-as-painful experience. His wings fell off. All though his back was sensitive for the longest time afterwards. He was doing it for Jim. He saw Dehner's body lying on the dirt. How would he explain this new addition to his body? If he took the necklace off, theoretically, the wings would fall off and he would return to normal. As little as normal. Being Ceaser was a fun, yet unique challenge that he played with when not being the god of love. True, he did consider Hercules an uncle with his partner Lolaus. The uncle he never had. John leaped forward summoning a ball of fire striking at Gary. Gary landed on to his side with glowing eyes.

"Step away from my mortal." John said.

"Cupid." Gary said.

"John Grimm." John said.

"Is that really who you are?" Gary said, with a chilling, uneasy villainous laugh.

"You are a parasite controlling a colleague. I rather you leave him be." John said. "Before I kill you."

"You can't kill me." Gary laughed. "I am a god. You are ant to me. You can be squad just with my thumb," He reached his hand out sending a bolt to the flier. It racketed through his body. John used his arms as shields. John stood his ground summoning a ball of fire in his hand. He could feel the hot, extensive heat gathering up in the palm of his hands. "You are not even a god."

John smiled.

"True." John said.

"You are no opponent." Gary said.

John appeared to be insulted.

"Really?" John asked. "Hercules told me I was." The flames coming from the growing heated ball was meeting his fingertips that were losing their skin. "Xena told me." He moved his other hand along to the lower side of the ball. "Gabrielle told me. Ares told me. Zeus told me. And Hades told me."

Gary sent a bolt toward John.

It racketed inside him again, this time sending him sliding backwards stopping against a boulder. His hand continued to gather immense fire power. Gary raised his hand firing at yet another shot. His heart gave out at first but then it restarted to beat normally. John thought back to all those hours of practice he had learning to control his new found powers given to him by the gods. He could make his arm burn and wave it in a cave when he was out for the sake of collecting his thoughts. He could make himself into a fire ball and act as a lantern. Bliss learned to walk by following his father in the dark. Joanna would have really liked to have a little brother. Bliss and Joanna would have been unique siblings. Bliss watching out for his little sister, maybe being a little protective over her, and having sibling rivalry. John wasn't turning into the green eyed monster because this man threatened everything in his life. It would have changed Spock's fate. Gary's face was twisting up as fury gathered in the man's body.

"Why don't you die all ready?" Gary asked.

"It is tough to kill a god. Let alone, a demigod." John said. "SEMPER FI!"

He leaped at Gary striking a blow knocking him down to the floor. John landed to the side on his boots with his wings folding around him. Gary stood up with half of his face burned and his uniform tattered. His face was gradually healing on its own. "I will make you pay for that, fraud!" Gary sent another bolt at John. John came forward this time reappearing behind Gary in thin air. Gary looked around stumped. He could not see the god like man, anywhere. John was perched onto the edge of a rock surface shaped like a man's face regrowing a large fireball. Jim was starting to move. John heard groans coming from Dehner's direction. Dehner lifted her head up to show a universe in both eyes. She saw nothing where John stood. John flew down reappearing to Gary. Gary's new found parasite was a insult to every god John had gone to known in his time walking among them and being considered family. Ares would have been insulted and strategically formed plans in the event that he had to cross Gary. Hell, Zeus and Hades would be disgusted.

Gary crashed to the ground with his face covered in secondary degree burns.

"You. . . You feeble, little ant." Gary stood himself upright. "What do you think will be accomplished burning me?"

"Good question!" John summoned lightning that crashed down making a ear splitting crack against the floor. "Because I feel like it, dumbass!" Gary turned around clasping at his ears, wincing. John reappeared along Dehner's side kneeling down. "I know some people who can help you," John said, in a low voice. "In another world." He looked over toward Gary then back to Dehner. "But everyone has to be convinced you evolved into a higher life form." He twirled his hand in the air. "And carry the risk of being killed by two women."

"Help us." Dehner said, trembling looking up toward John. "Doctor."

Gary sent another blow to John this time knocking him down away from Dehner. John's wings showed signs of being stung and startled by being struck. Immortality had its perks. John took a bow and arrow out from along where he stood. It had been too long since he had been an expert archer. Gary was laughing as he came over to Jim's body. Dehner sent another blow to Gary. Gary turned in her direction, furious. His face was all ready healed. John had vanished before his eyes again. John pulled the arrow. This time it struck the man dead in the center. His eyes were on the woman. How beautiful, how pretty she was, how lost she looked, and just how. . . His thoughts were interrupted by a bolt that made him fall to the ground losing consciousness into the darkness.

* * *

Jim's eyes opened. He sensed a familiar presence was around him. He felt there was a hand on his shoulder. It was a familiar touch. It was so familiar. His impulse phaser was emptied and laid on the ground alongside him. John was by his side shaking his shoulders, "Are you okay, Jim?" His concerned hazel eyes had a unnatural effect on Jim. Instead of being alarmed, Jim was relaxed and relieved. He was in his blue uniform with the black regulation shirt underneath. His eyebrows were furrowed together and he appeared worried as hell. He had his knapsack along his side. Jim leaned forward as John said, "Easy there, kid, you got yourself banged up." Jim looked in all directions then toward John.

"I told you to go with Spock." Jim said.

John let out a relieved smile/

"You didn't say that, explicitly." John said.

"Where is Dehner?" Jim's heart started to raise. "Where is Gary?"

John shrugged.

"Weren't here when I got here." John said. "It was tough findin' you." He helped the man up onto his two feet while Jim took the impulse phaser. "Come on, let's get you back to the ship."

"I don't deserve a friend like you." Jim said.

"Yes, you do." John said.

"I am stinging all over." Jim said.

"You should have thought about it before attemptin' to go insane at protectin' someone you care," John said. "I really like you Jim but you should have listened to Spock."

"I feel like I am going to be sick." Jim said.

John flipped open the communicator.

"McCoy to Enterprise," John said. "Two to beam up."

"Aye aye, Doctor." Scotty said.

In a golden haze of light, their surroundings changed to the bright white scenery of the transporter room. Spock was waiting alongside Scotty. Scotty appeared to be alarmed then faded into concern. Spock had a brief expression of alarm as Jim was groaning and it was replaced by a stoic mask. The Vulcan approached the two men as John stepped off the transporter pad.

"How did the face off go?" Spock inquired.

"Terrible," Jim said. "I feel like I want to hurl."

"He is fine." John said. "Step back if you don't want him to puke on you."

Spock stepped back, and not a moment later, Jim puked.


	63. Chapter 63

Riez walked into the morgue. He saw Kelso's body laid on the table. Tears started to grow on the edge of the man's eyes. John had his arms folded, his uniform blooded, looking at the trembling man. Riez experienced dread. He had heavy eyes. It felt so surreal that Kelso had died. Lee Kelso, a bilingual young man fluent in English and Andorian, a athletic young man who defied expectations of dying at child birth due to a birth defect, the type of man who trusted his friends too much, and a subtle rebellious kind of man.

"You are his immediate family?" John asked, concerned.

"He . . ." Riez felt his throat start to close up. "I adopted him last year." He approached the man's covered body feeling every piece of his body burning all over. He felt like the end of the world was near. "Family disowned him for joining star fleet."

John unfolded his arms.

"I grieve with thee." John said, placing a hand on the man's shoulder. "I'll leave you be." He could feel the tremble from Riez.

John changed his uniform to the long sleeved blue shirt.

He took a second glance at the moving shoulders of Riez then left.

Riez leaned against the table where Kelso laid with one hand covering his mouth with sounds coming out as muffles. He had refused to participate in hand to hand combat. They had been roommates for four years. They were seniors. It wasn't supposed to be this way. He had come with the padd and knelt down below Riez's level then asked, _"Will you be my dad?_ " Riez had looked out for the man. Merely just appearing drove the men and women away from Kelso when the man was supposed to be studying. Riez had personally made sure Kelso was studying. He had bailed him out of the academy jail and scolded him for it. He was not supposed to outlive his little brother figure. In fact, with all things considered, Riez was supposed to go first. Since being part Klingon genetically, it meant he physically grew up into an adult faster than average children. Tears came down the man's cheeks. He knelt down to the table with his forehead leaned against the railing.

"Lee!" Riez wailed, on his knees.

The doors had closed behind John as the cane clicked against the floor. John's heart leaped when he turned to look to see a pair of pointy green ears, black hair, and a blue shirt. Spock was waiting outside with his hands locked behind his back alongside the wall. John almost stopped in his tracks noticing the Vulcan was wearing light blue eyeliner. But he didn't have eyeliner the last time he looked at the Vulcan's face. John had his cupid necklace in his jean pocket. There was something breath taking from the Vulcan. The eyeliner made the Vulcan's eyes stand out.

"Doctor, did you have any part in the disappearance of Doctor Dehner and Mr Mitchelle?" Spock inquired.

John grew a disgusted expression.

"Really," John said. "You think I had some part in it?"

"You were down there for seventeen point seven minutes." Spock said. "And you could have easily walked over to Lieutenant Kelso's body and then beamed up with him. However, you went out and searched for the captain then returned for his body."

"Oooh," John said. "You can't seem to explain the missin' time."

"I will not file my report without an answer, doctor." Spock said.

"Well," John said. "Gary was there waitin' for me when I got back. He knocked me back to the floor. By the time I came to, I thought about Jim and since there is no stoppin' me on makin' sure he is alive, I had to go look for him." John paused, being considerate, contemplating how else to send the Vulcan away. "Though, I do swear I saw a blonde flyin' man in the sky flyin' overhead with white win's."

"Is this one of your metaphors?" Spock inquired.

"No." John said.

"The planet is not inhabited." Spock said.

"He had a bow and arrow!" John said, bouncing on his toes. Spock's eyebrows vanished under his hairline. "Like cupid."

Spock turned from John then walked away.


	64. Chapter 64

The shuttle came to a stop on the landing padd. From there, Winona saw a tall grayed and wrinkled Vulcan with his hands behind his back. He was dressed lightly for the occasion with several bags around him. Kirk Prime was the first one off the shuttle craft and embraced the man into a hug. Spock Prime's thin, old green hands wrapped around the backside of the human taking in the smell. McCoy Prime noticed the small collection of bags along the vulcan's side. his eyebrows hunched together. Spock Prime broke the hug then brought the two men to men forward and spoke to them. The two men then went over and took the bags then came back into the shuttle.

"Is anyone still livin' in the old house?"

"No." Winona said.

"Good!" McCoy Prime's eyes brightened to life then he came past her.

Spock Prime came over with two luggage in his arms.

"Greetings, Miss Winona." Spock Prime said. "It is pleasing to see you again."

"Greetings, Mr Spock." Winona said, giving the ta'al.

Kirk Prime took another luggage into the shuttle.

"Mom, can we stay at the old farm house?" Kirk Prime asked.

"Why of course," Winona said. "Home is always there for you."

"Georgia is not an option." McCoy said, as Spock Prime put the luggage into the neighboring seats.

"Because Eleanor will freak out." Kirk Prime said.

"And I will not allow my mother to fall apart seein' me!" McCoy Prime said. "Not on my damn watch."

"Did you get banned from Vulcan?" Winona asked, as she sat down into a chair.

"Yes, they did," McCoy Prime said. "Ungrateful bastards."

"They blame me for the loss of Vulcan." Spock Prime sat down into a chair alongside Winona. He looked so guilty.

"They shouldn't." Winona said.

"It was my fault." Spock Prime said.

"Just because you didn't make it on time to save Romulans means you are at fault," McCoy Prime said. "Someone set the big sun up prematurely."

Kirk Prime went over to the navigator and pilot then informed them of their change in plans. The helmsmen grumbled to himself about 'Should have seen this coming', 'Damn Vulcans', and 'insensitive species'. Kirk Prime thought to himself _, Is this how people view Vulcans toward the elderly?_ It was tearjerking inducing as bitterness it was. Once upon a time, this would have never been possible in their time.

McCoy stood up apparently having overheard their complaints.

"Why would someone do that?" Winona said.

McCoy Prime went over in the direction of the pilots as Kirk Prime passed him.

"Because they are crazy and insane." Kirk Prime said as he sat down alongside the two as the doors to the windy, yet sandy climate.

"To make a damn political statement in the face of Star Fleet." Spock Prime said. "Which is quite logical for a Romulan."

"I wouldn't be surprised if a Romulan did that," Kirk Prime said. "And Nero punishing the wrong man. It is cruel."

Winona nodded.

"It is." Winona said.

Kirk Prime could see in the clear blue sky that there were the two moons in the distance side by side through the two. It was the last he would see them. He felt bitterness at that prospect. The Vulcanian children begging him to tell stories of his days in space with his husband. Spock had yet to get over the fact that his father went back in time and took Surak's place to shape Vulcanian society. When Spock Prime looked at the new Sarek, it was like a ghost. He was all ready dead in Vulcanian history. Perhaps Sarek knew now what his fate was meant to be. And it killed Spock Prime, internally.

Winona looked over in the direction of the cockpit to see that McCoy Prime's thin, feminine figure was still there. His arms wrapped around the head rest of the seat while leaning forward. He was speaking in a low voice to the two officers. Inside the cockpit there was a chill in the air and a distinctive feeling that 1, he was going to kill them if they complained about Spock Prime; 2, that he was not leaving any form of evidence for their deaths; 3, if they ever speak about Vulcans that way around him or his husbands, he will not give it a second thought to carry out on his threats on the day he hears them; 4, appreciate the Vulcans because they do a lot of things for science. McCoy Prime was bouncing on his tippy toes as his list was carrying on to a rant about appreciating Vulcans.

"What is he doing?" Winona asked.

"Speaking with the pilots and giving specifics of where to drop us." Spock Prime said. "Or giving directions to a new place entirely."

"Bones is still fond of surprising us." Kirk Prime said. "Remember when . . . he took us to Andoria . . . for that festival?"

"It was the highlight of our shore leave in 2279 together from the Enterprise." Spock Prime said.

"And the visit . . . we had . . . to The Shore Leave Planet." Kirk Prime said, fondly.

"Revisiting the Enterprise in her youth while narrowly missing our past selves." Spock Prime said.

"She was gorgeous!" Kirk Prime said, their hands clasped together on Spock's right thigh. "And so were we."

"We are gorgeous, T'hy'la." Spock Prime squeezed Kirk Prime's hand.

Kirk Prime's cheeks turn red.

"You old romantic." Kirk Prime said.

"I am glad that you found someone to spend the rest of your life with." Winona said.

"As am I." Kirk Prime said, as he sent dirty thoughts back toward Spock with a smile.

"How did you two met?" Winona asked.

"The Enterprise." The two men said, fondly. "Transporter room."

"But you two met at the panel." Winona said.

"I was exempted from it because I was Vulcan," Spock Prime said. "Humans were allowed because they needed to learn how to deal with failure and death as a captain or a member of the bridge."

"So you say Vulcans are exempted from it?" Winona asked.

"Not in this time, apparently; I created it," Spock Prime said. It came out bitterly at the last part. "I am a scientist, not a computer programmer."

"Really?" Winona asked. "I always took you for a computer programmer as a instructor in the academy from what Amanda sent to me." Kirk Prime appeared to be startled and Spock raised his eyebrow as their hand squeeze had loosened. "I am glad you met each other so young."

"Mom," Kirk Prime said. "We met when we were in our thirties."

"2265." Spock Prime said, with a short lived nod. "The transition of power between Captain Pike and Captain Kirk went smoothly. Mr Scott, Lieutenant Commander then, got along with the new doctor by turning their shared bathroom into a liquor cabinet."

"I do not doubt that has happened to this Enterprise." Kirk Prime said.

"That is interesting," Winona said, as McCoy Prime came to the side of Winona and sat down in a empty seat. The space craft started to lift off as McCoy Prime buckled himself up. "I never really took Lenny for a alcoholic collector."

"I don't collect them anymore." McCoy Prime said. "My doctor told me it would harm my health if I continued to drink at my age."

"We make sure of that." Spock Prime said.

"Actually, I do it more when Mr Spock is not home." Kirk Prime said.

"Drop the formalities, Admiral." Spock Prime said.

"It is so domestic it embarrasses you." Kirk Prime said, slowly stroking his husbands shoulder.

"Negative," Spock Prime said. "I only wish that you refer to me by your endearing nicknames when we are with your mother."

"There is one nickname we don't use-" Kirk Prime started to say.

"Bubble butt." Winona said. "That's the nickname I called him. Asides to little uni, little farm boy, Jimmy, Jannie, Jacklyn, Jackie, Jim, little iron boat, farm nerd, Mister curls, Mr mess, Mr driver, superboy . . ."

"Mother!" Kirk Prime said. "That is embarrassing."

"That's what a mom is supposed to do." Winona said.

"You don't hear me callin' him bubble butt." McCoy Prime said, arms behind his head. "In public."

"What do you call him then?" Winona asked, as the two old men had buckled themselves up.

"A variety of nicknames that I rather not say out loud." McCoy Prime said.

Winona looked at Spock Prime's direction then asked, "What is it like living with them?"

Spock Prime paused, acting as though he was deeply considering what to tell as the two men and one woman looked at him in anticipation.

 _Don't tell her how we watched the movies that she told me not to watch_ , Kirk Prime plead.

 _TELL HER ABOUT THE MOVIES!,_ McCoy Prime roared in their bond with a cackle.

"Let me warn you it is not exciting and some of our exploits were done to help people." Spock Prime began.


	65. Chapter 65

"Hey Leonard, Nyota wants to have movie night with us tonight."

John looked up from the pad toward the man standing across from him at the desk.

"Since when does she want to have movie night with me?" John asked, flabbergasted. "And you should be rechargin'."

Dorian sat on the edge of the table with one hand on the table.

"I can make two hours without recharging for a movie night." Dorian said.

"Uh huh." John nodded. "You do realize how moody you get without a full charge. Your shift isn't even up.'

"Me?" Dorian had one hand on his chest. "Moody?"

"Remember the time I had to get the bomb off the youn' woman?" John asked.

Dorian shook his hand.

"I remember, I remember," Dorian said. "Don't remind me."

"And you specifically didn't leave my side for a whole month." John added. "Which," John held his index finger up with a smile leaning forward. "I will add, wasn't bad for botherin' you with my spare time activities." Dorian tilted his head with a "I do not recall such a event occurring" expression on his face. "You removed the memory of myself arousing myself from your memory bank afterwards."

"I only was with you a lot to make sure you didn't get kidnapped again." Dorian said.

"Geoffrey, you getting moody is somethin' I am not willin' to exchange for a movie night." John said. "You need your charge." He pointed in the direction of the black synthetic. "And the answer is no." He shook his hand. "We may be partners in the field, again, but the first thin' a partner has to be aware of is their co-worker bein' capable of being on duty without spazzing out in the style of a malfunctionin' eccentric human."

Dorian placed a hand on his thigh.

"You are very considerate," Dorian said. "T'Spol admits that she likes it when her co-worker isn't stiff."

John rolled an eye.

"Seriously? Going with a Vulcan's word?" John asked, folding his arms leaning back into the chair.

"I picked 102 Dalmatians." Dorian said.

"No!" John's face was horrified. "We're not watchin' that terrible live action movie. It's 101 dalmatians, the live action version, that we are goin' to watch." He jotted down a note to the condition of Kevin Riley. "Not as though we are on heterosexual movie night."

"It's their third date." Dorian said.

"Whose date?" John asked, looking up. _Please say Spock and Jim_ , John wished internally.

"Nyota and Christine." Dorian replied.

John had a 'oh really?' expression on his face.

"And you picked the worst love story to celebrate their third date." John said. "You know what is better in terms of a love story?"

"The princess bride." Dorian said.

"Because it's cheesey and well written and doesn't have the 'this feels too lon', it should be over by now' kind of vibe to it," John said. "I mean. . . The love story between Tazarus is in the same category between those two love birds."

"I will see you tonight, John." Dorian said, leaning forward then slid himself off the desk. Dorian yawned then made his way out of sick bay.

Samantha came over.

"Did I hear Nyota wants to treat me to a 21st century themed love story binge watching?" Samantha asked.

"No," John said. "It was made in the 20th century, damn it." John held his index finger up. "And it is one movie."

"Not a though you intend for it to be longer." Samantha said.

"I am pretty sure it is not." John said. ". . . Though Deadpool would make a great movie to watch."

"For a guy who breaks the fourth wall and can't be killed." Samantha said.

John paused, reconsidering, then raised his eyebrow.

"Nah, that is a terrible date night movie." John said.

"Because we can relate to him." Samantha said.

"Exactly." John said.

"But there is no fourth wall that we break." Samantha said.

John sighed.

"You know, the next time you visit the bridge, you might just get caught up and get threatened again by a weird alien bein' because whoever is writin' our story has no idea what so ever what happens next," John said. "Or at least attempts to know what can happen next."

Samantha laughed.

"That is a nice one." Samanatha said.

"The writer of my story is a sadist." John said. "Enjoyin' me bein' in pain." He rubbed the side of his face. "Maybe that explains my impromptu visit to the world of Hercules and Xena."

"But that is fictional." Samantha said

John gave a long, hard look at Samantha.

"It is not. It is real. Every word." John said. "I lied about bein' sent to another time where I was part of a spy rin'." He rubbed his hands together then cleared his throat. "But Xena and Gabrielle are the true parts of the story."

"Compared to you, my writer enjoys the thrill of adventure." Samantha said.

"Like bein' stationed in the Enterprise?" John asked. "That isn't even thrillin'."

"True," Samantha said. "But we have some stupid ensigns who stub their toes or get themselves hurt with equipment." She leaned against the counter. "What you do without me?"

"I would be dead, Sam." John said.

"Besides that." Samantha said.

"Only my bones would be at Olduvai." John said.

"Good point." Samantha leaned back from the desk. "And since we are not being written by someone up there," She waved at the ceiling. "I will pay a visit to my girlfriend at the bridge without being threatened by a alien entity." She looked over toward Riley who had a ice bag applied to his right eye. "He got himself into a scuffle. Don't know why he attracts it."

"He is the captain's friend," John said. "Everyone who is his friend attracts punches."

Samantha rolled an eye then exited.

"Hey, is anyone goin' to discharge me?" Riley asked.

"Nope!" John said. "Your roommate needs to cool off before you go in again."

"Aw." Riley whined.


	66. Chapter 66

Nyota was in a pretty pink dress, off duty, lacking sleeves and a collar. There was a padd on the table alongside the woman. After being closeted for so long, she wasn't quite sure if she should be fancy or just-Nyota could not damn decide. She picked up a black skirt and a purple shirt from the closet. She had yet to put on make up. She missed Gaila. She should be here for this or at least giving her advice through a call. Should Nyota wear make up? She wasn't quite sure. If her close, Orion friend Gaila were still around she would pick the dress that her friend was wearing right now. Gaila was the kind who was confident in herself and very decisive when she decided. Nyota put the clothes back into the closet at the back behind her standard uniform.

She didn't understand the men for changing their uniform into something that was sewn by hand. The other girls complained how the uniform hugged their waists and the regulation dress always slid up above their lower extremities. Most women didn't wear panties but instead wore trousers like the men. It was a preference to most women on the ship. Women who wore dresses were required to wear panties. No butts about it due to many real life situations that can occur in space. The dress uniform felt like a fabric usually worn in kickball. She figured that was why most officers refused to wear it. It didn't feel like a shirt. It felt like a shirt one would wear during a sports game. Nyota was fine with the uniform and the sleeves and the waist hugging.

Tommy jumped on to the edge of the bed and barked.

"Tommy," Nyota said, turning toward the pug. "Is this fashionable?"

Tommy tilted his head wagging his curled tail with a whimper.

"Be honest." Nyota said.

Tommy shook her head.

"Okay," Nyota took out a black shirt and a pink skirt. "How about this?"

Tommy tilted his head.

"Too short?" Nyota lifted the skirt up.

Tommy had a odd expression on his face,

"Okay, I agree," Nyota said. "Too short."

Nyota turned around toward the closet. Tommy stood up on both of his legs then kneeled wiggling himself from side to side with a warning bark. He backed up few steps then leaped toward the closet flying right past the dark woman crashing down with a thud to the floor. Nyota glanced over to see a light orange shirt and a black shirt under the dog. Nyota looked down in the direction of Tommy. She picked up Tommy while cooying at him and holding the two pairs of attire in her other hand. She kissed along the dog's face then placed him onto the bed. Nyota zipped down the zipper to the back end of her dress then slipped the shoulder part of the dress down. She slid the dress off as Tommy watched. The skirt and shirt fell to the floor around her flats. She walked out of them then put on the other skirt and sat on the edge of the bed lacking a bra. She put on the shirt and patted Tommy on the head.

"How do I look, sugah?" Nyota asked. "Good?"

Tommy nodded, rapidly.

"You are a good boy." She kissed the dog's forehead then went over to the clump of clothes. She put them back up into the closet. Nyota came back to the bed as he was sitting down on his back legs looking at her direction looking at her with a dumbstruck look on his dog, adorable face. Almost as though he realized something. Though he was entirely sure that it was she was the best master he ever had "God," She put her hand onto her lap. "This is my third date." She looked around the room then rubbed her shoulder. "I never dated a girl before." Tommy leaped onto her shoulder and licked. "Tommy!" She fell over with a laugh. "Tommy, you little flirt."

Nyota picked the little dog up then placed him onto the floor.

"I appreciate your encouragement," Nyota said. "It's all new to me being open about my sexuality and my relationship with women." She stroked the dog's head. "Do you think that by the time I get promoted, I may be encouraging other girls to accept their desire?" Tommy nodded his head. Nyota laughed. "You nod to everything,Tommy." A fond smile grew onto her face as her cheeks brightened and she briefly covered her mouth as a giggle came to. Her brown cheeks brightened before Tommy's eyes. "Tommy," She picked the dog up. "You are not going to chew on anything in this room." She was face to face with the communication's officer. "You are not going to chew on anything."

Nyota kissed Tommy on the cheek and placed him down onto the bed then headed toward the exit with Tommy following close behind her. Nyota headed into the living room then came to the door. The doors opened to show Samantha in a blue buttoned up shirt and matching blue jeans that ended at her ankles and she wore black sneakers. She had her hands locked behind her back. Her light blue shirt complimented her sea blue eyes. She towered over Nyota. Nyota was, compared to her, a short and adorable cute woman who had her hands behind her back. Samantha's cheeks were glowing a shade of pink. Nyota was breath taken by Samantha. Their long, endearing stare was broken up by Tommy barking making himself bounce up and down.

"Hello," Samantha said. She knelt down to Tommy's level. "Hey Tommy, cutie pie." She rubbed along the dogs ear as Tommy thumped the floor leaning to the side until he fell down to the floor turning himself over asking for a belly rub. Samantha stood upright and her eyes landed on Nyota's figure. "Oh my, Ny, you are _gorgeous_."

"Thank you," Nyota said. "You are lovely, dear."

"Are you ready for tonight?" Samantha asked.

"I was born ready, Christine." Nyota said, holding her hand out.

Christine kissed the woman's hand and the not-at-all-visible-blush on Nyota's cheeks brightened.

"Let's go." Samantha said. "They are waiting for us to join the movie marathon."

"I thought it was one movie." Nyota said.

"Leonard changed his mind." Samantha said. "After that, is The Hobbit then The Lord of The Rings."

"That is a pretty good marathon." Nyota said. She exited the quarters. She turned away from Samantha as they were holding hands. "Tommy, you stay." Tommy sat down onto his two feet tilting his head, wagging his little tail, making begging eyes. "Go to bed."

Tommy stood up then turned around and skated away to the living room over to the little bed along the couch.

"Are you ready now?" Samantha asked.

Nyota turned toward Samantha.

"I am ready for forever with you." Nyota said

Samantha had a entertained laugh as they went down the hall.

"If we had forever . . ." Samantha said. She grew a briefly sad expression as a bitter thought crossed her mind. Her face relaxed. "Let's see how this year treats our relationship and then see where we go from there."

Nyota nodded.

"It can't be that bad." Nyota said. "With space ahead, there is no limit."


	67. Chapter 67

It was Amanda's idea that Winona come visit during her extended shore leave. Eleanor was probably older than then by some decades. She had grayed short hair, light blue eyes, and something about her screamed "I AM THE MOTHER OF LEONARD MCCOY AND YOU WILL BE YELLED AT IF YOU DON'T DO SOMETHING RIGHT". It was probably the eyes since her son got the eyebrows from his father David. Eleanor was a dark woman with lines about her face. She had grown up in Georgia with David as childhood friends, then to study buddies, then to boyfriend and girlfriend, and it is quite predictable from there. She was over joyed that her little boy came with her baby blue eyes instead of the dark sea blue eyes his father had. But strangely, they changed ever since an accident. It was known to happen in cases of trauma.

Hair changing color, the brain switching to another language, and a multiple personality disorder occurring.

But he was still her son.

And she loved him dearly.

"How is Sarek dealin' with the exile of his father's sibling?" Eleanor asked.

"Not well." Amanda said. "He is not pleased that the ban was put in place."

"Such a shame." Winona shook her head. "They should be pulling their resources together to recuperate their civilization together."

"He is one hundred fifty-eight years old." Amanda said.

"Oh." Winona and Eleanor said at once. Winona did not sound to be surprised.

"He is a sweetheart, and so is his husbands." Amanda said. "David and George. . ." She paused, with a frown. "They remind me of someone . . ." She rubbed her chin. "I can't put my finger on it."

"They are sweethearts," Winona agreed. Eleanor looked toward Winona. "I met them last week." She took a sip from the coffee. "They are adorable together."

"What are they like?"

"One fine, southern gentle men. The other, a passionate feminist, someone I would be proud to have known." Winona had a fond smile at the memory. "They are living in the old Kirk farm house. I approve of it being used."

"Why would you let them move into your house?" Eleanor asked.

"It is not like you know one of them personally." Amanda said.

Eleanor frowned.

"Cut the horse shit." Eleanor said. "Somethin' does not feel right about the men. Where are they from? They didn't just come out of no where. Y'all must be insane to go alon' without askin' why they are so familiar." She looked over in the direction of guilty Winona. "You know who they are."

Winona looked over in the direction of Eleanor.

"Ellie," Winona said. "I don't know how to put this."

"She has to know eventually." Amanda said.

"She does." Winona said, with a nod.

"Tell me what?" Eleanor asked.

The two women shared a knowing look

"David Grayson is your son." Winona took a small padd out then handed it to the older woman.

Her hands trembled as she took the picture. She saw a old man in-between two younger old men who were kissing his cheeks as her had both hands on the small of their backs with a smile on his face. He had a gap in his teeth in the middle. He appeared to be happy. She briefly covered her mouth in surprise. Her little boy looked so grown up. He resembled more of Eleanor in his elderly age and he had his fathers hair style. The lines on his face had grown. She could see her little boy turning into this man. McCoy Prime had a girly like frame just like the version of himself she had raised. She then frowned, noticing the gap in his teeth while thinking of the last time her younger version of her son smiled before her eyes. She remembered how he was before the accident. The gap in his teeth-She looked up alarm.

"Whose running around pretending to be my son?" Eleanor asked.

It made sense. And it fell together perfectly. The body conveniently destroyed beyond recognition. David offering to let the driver be buried in the backyard followed by a death certificate. Her face grew long as Amanda and Winona put down their cups. Amanda was saying something but all Eleanor could hear was "blah blah blah blah blah." Winona put a hand on Amanda's shoulder with a softened look of understanding and sadness. Winona turned her head in the direction of the black woman.

"It's complicated." Winona said.

"Complicated?" Eleanor asked. "Nothin' is complicated. I want to know the truth-" She stood up, trembling, as though it had hit her that her son had been dead. "I have to inform someone of this-"

She turned away heading from the living room. The look of guilt on the man's face. How awkward he was on the first few days until David came to him and spoke with him in private. That look of knowing-She fell into the arms of Amanda as tears came down her dark cheeks. It made sense why this Leonard went to the grave and talked while she waited. It made sense why he looked sad when they passed the cemetery. Wrecked, completely, by the inside. How he was after David on mercy killing. Broken into a thousand pieces than he was before. Her little boy was buried out back. How he was unsure of going to the university of Mississippi at first until David gave him that pep talk. She never seen her son standing up that straight before, shake the hands of his father that firmly, and had a long hard eye contact with each other. Did he know something about the man that she didn't? Who was he? Who was this man pretending to be her son? Did her son even know the man? She never had seen him before in the community. She had one hand over her face. The little girl, Joanna, she looked strongly like the other version of her father only younger with that short hair style.

* * *

One hundred forty-seven was a age that not many McCoy's lived up to, let alone his mother. She had been the first to go in 2293 during the three month farewell tour. Amanda followed suit in 2205. It was a wretched year for the men. Spock comforted them when he was around of course, and McCoy, well McCoy had to comfort Jim after his mothers loss with Spock. It took an emotional toll on Jim. Putting himself into other duties that did not relate to being an admiral such as being a gardener or knitting. Spock was the one who encouraged Jim into becoming a knitter. It was a impressive feat for the Vulcan. For years women had came to the man and talked about how their knitting was. Some of the women on the planets they visited had yarn everywhere. It was quite homely and nice to see women who had chaotically messy apartments that had its own organization.

 _Hey honey_ , Kirk Prime called through their bond, _we have some visitors_.

"Beethoven, get your fat Russian furry ass into the back seat!" McCoy Prime shouted.

They had purchased a bear dog and he had all ready eaten a communicator.

"Warf!" Beethoven barked.

 _Good or bad?_ , McCoy Prime asked being worried.

"You are not going into the front seat, damn it!" McCoy Prime said.

 _You should see them for yourself_ , Spock Prime joined in.

"Wharf!" Beethoven barked.

 _It's not bad,_ Kirk Prime replied.

McCoy folded his arms.

 _Not at all,_ Spock Prime added, _Ashayam._

"You are going into the trunk if you don't hop into the back seat." McCoy Prime said.

Beethoven looked over toward the back seat then back to McCoy Prime.

"Or I can just leave you here and let you run all the way back home." McCoy Prime said.

Beethoven looked to the road.

"All right, that is it." McCoy Prime shut the door then went around the front part of the vehicle. When he got into, he turned and saw Beethoven waiting in the front seat. McCoy yelped falling to the side of the door muttering, "Oh for fucks sake!" He clenched at his chest feeling his heart pounding, racing, even. "I knew we should have gotten a sehlat!" He pointed at the ugly, large furball. The seat leaned back for the dog's weight. "They are more predictable than you!"

The retired Doctor buckled himself up locking the doors but kept the windows down. He closed the door. It felt like he was in history, walking in it, when he truly was. Air Cars were invented sooner which were very different from shuttle crafts. They were invented in the late century where the Enterprise C came around. The one that made history defending a Klingon Colony and was destroyed by Romulan bird of prey. It was what largely sealed the deal in Klingons working alongside humans aside to the Khitomer Peace Treaty and the efforts of the USS Discovery. He wondered to himself if Captain Rainsford was the captain of the Discovery, still, from now.

She was diplomatic and understanding. Far from the woman claimed to be very eccentric and unusual who Admiral King had insisted that Nyota meet in her time of doubt of continuing to serve in the five year mission. She was a role model for people like her to join star fleet, continue serving in it, and be an officer in it. The Discovery was a historical NCC class. Rainsford had the model in her office the last time McCoy Prime visited her when she wasn't ailing. She was old and thin. Her grayed curled hair in a bun. She was at peace and content with herself. He half wondered to himself on why she didn't get the Ambassador offer. Spock had known her quite close. She was shorter than McCoy right around his Jim's height. Jim was the shortest of the group without those boots with high heels on them. McCoy had to park the car alongside the road then buckle in Beethoven because the damn bear dog was worrying him. Because you never know someone might just appear with a tractor and hit the car and send the dog flying crashing into the tractor in a grizzily manner due to there not being a seat belt. The veterinarian had told him the communicator will pass in a few hours.

"Bein's who walk on their two feet should be my main concern not animals that walk on four feet." McCoy Prime said.

Beethoven barked at the direction of the doctor.

"Don't complain." McCoy Prime said.

The hover-car continued its way up the path past several houses and farms. He heard the gentle moo of the cows in the distance. There were retired horses out there in the pasture grazing in herds. McCoy Prime thought of the day when he saw Spock riding a horse. Spock! Riding a horse! He laughed at the fleeting memory. Spock's arms wrapped around the horses neck. Jim laughing and his cheeks turning a hot shade of pink. McCoy almost laughing himself off the horse and shitting himself. Spock had gotten better on riding horses. The best prime example to get him being a better rider was telling the Vulcan, "You are riding a Sehlat. Imagine you are ridin' a sehlat." McCoy Prime experienced a fleet of embarrassment through the bond he shared with the two men. McCoy Prime tapped his feet on the floor to a old song that was coming up in his head. He turned the music on and old classic rock music came blaring out of the radio. McCoy Prime nodded his head along to it as did Beethoven.

McCoy Prime saw the Kirk household up ahead coming closer.

Except, he saw a hover-car parked alongside the roadside.

He saw Kirk Prime sitting on the porch steps with Spock no where in sight.

"I wonder what brin's Spock away." McCoy Prime said.

Beethoven looked in the direction of McCoy Prime then gave out a single bark.

"Right," McCoy Prime said. "Probably somethin' of little convenience."

McCoy Prime parked the car then he unbuckled the bear dog. He opened the driver side door and got out followed by the dog with a simple woof. Beethoven wagged his tail then darted past the man. McCoy Prime closed the driver side door then made his way toward the house, "He is fine! Just need to take a shit." With a wave of his hand. Spock is probably taking care of the back yard garden that Kirk Prime had apparently decided to grow. He couldn't feel anything from Spock Prime right now. It was slightly unnerving. It was like they were going to throw surprise on him like Hanukkah's date had changed on them and they needed to buy stuff for the next seven to eight days. And find plenty of christmas movies to watch during the holiday season. He came toward the stairs where Kirk Prime got up then approached the man. It was Kirk Prime who took McCoy Prime into a tight, warm bear hug.

"I just got back, Jim," McCoy Prime said, then he added jokingly. "Not like I was gone forever."

"It felt like it to me." Kirk Prime said, as his hand traveled to the small of his back.

"What you got for a surprise for me today?" McCoy Prime asked.

Beeethoven used his mouth to open the door then slid himself in through the partial crack. Kirk Prime motioned in the old doctor. McCoy Prime came into the house to see at the living room sat Spock Prime and Jocelyn speaking together appearing to be quite comfortable with each other. Jocelyn had red, curly red hair with loads of freckles. The little girl looked like. . . Joanna? She had his light blue eyes. There was sitting in the lap of Eleanor McCoy. She was three years old. Eleanor's light blue eyes looked up in the direction of McCoy Prime. Beethoven came along side the elder Spock Prime and and slid itself forward allowing him to pet him. Eleanor moved Joanna into the arms of Jocelyn. She moved her way into the direction of McCoy Prime with tears coming to the surface. McCoy Prime felt himself get over emotional. It had been over a hundred years since he had last seen his mother. A decade since he lost his daughter to natural causes.

"Lenny?" Eleanor said, as the door closed behind Kirk Prime.

"Hello, momma." McCoy Prime said.

"You look. . . so beautiful." Eleanor said. "You should have come to me earlier." She placed a hand on the side of his cheek. "You look like your father."

He took her hand and lowered it clearing his throat.

"We have a lot to talk about." McCoy Prime said.

"Yes, we do." Eleanor said, with a smile

"Let's talk about Joanna bein' four years old. She was born 2249," McCoy Prime said. "Sometin's wron' here." He looked toward Jocelyn. "Pardon what I say, Jocelyn. . . But . . . She is supposed to be eight years sold."

"You didn't feel like having a child." Eleanor said. "You were scared of out living her."

Kirk Prime was now by his side taking his shoulder as a form of comfort.

"You did outlive her." Jocelyn said.

McCoy Prime cleared his throat.

"That is bound to happen." McCoy Prime said. "Apparently," Then he added with a light hearted note. "I cannot stop that." He looked over toward Spock Prime. "You have all ready met my husbands, let me tell you ways to embarrass my counterpart." He looked toward Eleanor. "I have some explainin' to do."

"Yes, the hell you do!" Eleanor said, with a frown.

"I'll do that in private." McCoy Prime said, with a smile. "Now, where do I start. . . ."


	68. Chapter 68

"Eleanor knows." McCoy Prime said, when they finally got around to have a civil conversation.

"Is that why you wanted to call me?" John asked.

"No, just that we have moved to Earth." McCoy Prime said.

"Why?" John asked.

"Both Spock's are banned from New Vulcan." McCoy Prime said.

"That is terrible." John said.

"Spock is considerin' startin' the reunification effort between Romulans and Vulcans." McCoy Prime said.

"That is worse." John said.

"I would encourage him but the idea is moot in this time. I told him to leave it to his younger self." McCoy Prime sighed. "Apparently, he wants to leave behind buildin' blocks for the effort between the two cultures."

"Going to Romulus is dangerous as it is." John noted.

"I agree." McCoy Prime said. "We are retired from savin' the day. Kaput. It's your turn, honestly." He shook his hand. "Eleanor thinks she has an idea of your situation and she refuses for me to tell her truth. She wants it to be left to her imagination! Can you believe her?"

John laughed.

"Yes," John said. "I can."

"Is she always like this when I was your age?" McCoy Prime asked.

"Yes." John said.

McCoy Prime sighed.

"I didn't realize how much I missed her." McCoy Prime said. "I hugged her tightly before she had to go home. And Joanna, good god, she looks like me!"

"We are related." John said.

"No, wait, what?" McCoy Prime was caught off guard.

"Barbara, remember her?" John asked. "Barbara Grimm and your name sake?"

McCoy Prime was brought back to the moment in time when the Enterprise went back in time to retrieve a scientist who had become lost in the late 2040's. Barbara Grimm was a unique woman who stood on her own and managed the store when her husband was out being a doctor. She worked as a vetenarian. It was tough tearing the scientist away from the animal shelter and it took the three of them to sneak him out when Barbara was taking care of his bull dog. She was a rather rude woman but that is just his impression of knowing her for a few days and being mistaken for another McCoy. McCoy Prime preferred to forget about the state of the animal shelter because it looked better than the homeless shelters. He remembered the nutrition pill that was given after a touch of a finger.

"Yes." McCoy Prime said.

"Barbara Grimm." John repeated. McCoy Prime's eyes brightened.

"No, no, no, you can't . . . I refuse to believe it." He shook his hands. "I can't be related to you."

John grew a smile.

"You and I are more alike than you care to admit." John said.

"Really?" McCoy Prime said. "I don't think so."

"We feel too much, we both hate the era of sutures and patients bein' in pain and dyin'." John said. "Medicine in its primitive, stone age version . . . Is messy. I lived in that era. I actually love the new methods of medicine. More safer and efficient."

"You can drop the accent." McCoy Prime said.

"Sorry, can't." John had a sheepish smile. "It is part of me."

McCoy Prime had a expression of sheer realization.

"Good god, is it that easy to pretend bein' me?" McCoy Prime asked.

"I am just bein' me with a southern accent." John said. "The original me."

"Say how is your two love birds?" McCoy Prime asked.

"Spock keeps lossin' to Jim." John said. "Jim and Spock have been hangin' around often. Deck three's recreation deck, for example, and the bar . . . Which I have been bartendin' when Riez is not around."

"Suits them." McCoy Prime said.

"It does." John said.

"Have you tried chess against the Vulcan?" McCoy Prime asked.

"No, we have been doin' puzzles." John said.

McCoy Prime smiled.

"Beach side puzzles." McCoy Prime said.

"Yes, that." John said. "Honestly, I do the middle and Spock does the sides. One table sized puzzle."

"Annd?" McCoy Prime asked.

"Nyota and Samantha are datin'." John said.

"That was quick," McCoy Prime said. "She lost someone vital to her development-" He paused as realization spread on his face. "Oh no, not Gaila."

"Yes, it was Gaila." John said.

"God rest her soul." McCoy Prime said.

"How did you help them get together?" John asked.

"I told them to get a room. More precisely, I shoved them in the spare patients quarter and locked the door. They had to get over blushin' when each other and gushing about each other when the other was away speakin' to me." McCoy Prime said. "Nyota was a closeted bisexual when she came aboard the Enterprise. That was when the new regulation of bein' open about each other's sexuality was bein' eased into Star Fleet." McCoy Prime had a fond smile about it. "We threw a party near the end of the first five year mission for Hikaru when he came out as Bisexual."

"Married to his star fleet academy sweetheart." John said.

"Benjamin Pak?" McCoy Prime asked.

"Ben." John said.

"Excellent. They are a adorable couple." McCoy Prime noted.

"They are planning to have a child." John said.

"Little Demora. Demora Sulu. . ." His face softened. "She is goin' to be on the Enterprise B. Or will be." He rubbed his chin. "What about your personal life?" He tilted his head. "You can't be alone forever with your sister till the end of time."

"It is doin' fine and none of your damn business," John said. "How about we talk about Riez and Amrah? I am curious what I should be aware of for these two."

McCoy Prime sighed.

"They are fine. Nothin' bad ever happens to them," McCoy Prime said. "They usually ended in my sick bay as did Vall. Speakin' of which here are some situations you need to be on the look out for Vall and Riez in your first year in space. . ."

* * *

A transmission came through the frequency and it sounded Klingon. That rose Nyota's alarm. It sounded like a plea for help. She looked in the direction of Jim Kirk's chair to make sure she was hearing it right. Klingons did not usually ask for help. If anything, never, not even in federation channels. It had been two weeks since the events that lead to the disappearance of Gary Mitchelle and Elizabeth Dehner. She turned back in the direction of her station as the distress signal played again this time with the voice of a man. She turned in the direction of the captain.

"Captain, there is a distress signal from a Klingon vessel."

Jim appeared to be alarmed raising his eyebrows then shared a glance with Spock and turned his attention back to Nyota.

"Begin hailing." Jim said.

It was highly out of character for a Klingon to ask for help. The USS Hope was part of a medical clean up at the moment on Tarsus IV with a new disease that had sprouted out randomly into the open. The Enterprise was just returning from Tarsus IV which brought back touchy, dark memories from the event. John and Dorian had done all they could with help from the nurse staff to find a cure which was now being treated to the colonists. Jim turned toward the view screen.

"Captain James Tiberius Kirk of the USS Enterprise," Jim said. "How may we help you?"

"I am Captain Koloth," Koloth said. "We have a unruly passenger who is being dishonorable on my ship." He lacked the forehead crest but the slanted eyebrows were still there and the goatee. "And he is threatening my crew."

"What kind of problem do you have?" Jim asked.

"Your problem." Koloth sneered. "Human."

"Sounds like something we can handle."

Koloth laughed at the human.

"I doubt that." Koloth said.

Spock had one hand on his console tilting his head with a raised eyebrow.

"He is only human." Jim said.

"A unusual human." Koloth said.

"Sounds right up my street." Jim said.

"We will beam him over and you handle the problem." He leaned back into the chair with the deepest frown that Jim had seen from anyone. "We found him from a vessel flying from the planet Thasus." His fist clenched onto the arm rest of the chair nearly chipping off a piece. "He was honorable there." Koloth grumbled something else in Klingon.

There was a Klingon expletive from behind Koloth and Koloth turned toward the direction behind him.

"PUT. HER. BACK AT. HER. STATION!" The Klingon roared. The sounds of the bridge was the only sound emulating as most of the officers could hear their hearts beating in their ears. "Better." The Klingon relaxed, slumped in the chair, with a heavy sigh. "Escort the boy to the transporter room." He turned toward the young captain. "We will come to you, captain, with our shields down. This is a 'friendly' exchange."

"Friendly exchange, Captain Koloth." Jim said, with a nod.

"Koloth out." The screen turned to black with the distant stars.

* * *

"You can't rely on padds to speak all the time!" Robertin said. "There are people in Star Fleet who understand sign." He scooted the pad away from the young man. "If you don't step up and try to learn it intently then you will never ever communicate! Someday you won't have a padd. Someday you might be held captive. And the only thing that can save your ass is sign!"

Jefferson grunted.

"The higher ups want you to learn sign," Robertin said. "That's the only way you'll get through in life: through sign."

Jefferson signed back a expletive. Riez was at the bar minding to the officers. At least the ones who were off duty. There was music playing in the bar that was gentle and soft. There were other officers in casual attire sitting at separate rounded tables with bar stools. Jefferson was sulked, leaned forward with one hand around a cup appearing to be miserable. He had not seen the man come over to the bar since he lost his voice. It was like someone punched the young, talkative man right out leaving behind a shell. Robertin Harvey, the short fellow, had just left the bar. Riez came over to the young man then leaned onto the side of the counter with a bottle of bourbon then refilled Jefferson's small cup.

"Not doing good learning to speak in sign?" Riez asked.

Jefferson nodded.

"That is bitter." Riez said.

Jefferson took the glass then gulped it down.

"Jefferson, it is not made to be drank that fast." Riez said, in alarm.

Jefferson looked up in the direction of the man.

"Not that I want you to be erratic," Riez said. "But I am worried about you." He took the glass away. "Did Robertin chew you out for not giving it any effort?" Jefferson looked down with his arms folded on the table and he appeared to be depressed. "I know where you are right now and it is not a good place. I was there before, just like you."

Jefferson looked up, insulted.

"I am a human, not a Klingon." Riez said.

Jefferson rolled an eye.

"Just because I was turned into this gigantic freak didn't mean my entire life was ruined, which, regardless it was," Riez held up his index finger. "But you know what I did? I tried to adjust to it," He sighed. "I mean, being a little kid, but in a adult body was a rough time for me and my adoptive parents. I lost many things going from family to family." He nearly trailed off. "But I found an Andorian family who didn't have antenna's. Didn't tell you that."

Jefferson leaned back, appearing to be puzzled.

"Try signing me." Riez said.

"Screw hue." Jefferson signed.

"Good, good," Riez said. "But it is screw me not screw hue."

Jefferson smiled.

"Oh!" Riez said. "I see what you did there," He leaned back then came over putting bourbon into Rachel's cup. He put the glass into the dispenser and took it out once it was returned back where he placed it. "Can you sign the word 'you'?"

Jefferson shook his head.

"What kind of sentences can you speak?" Jefferson shook his head. "Words?"

Jefferson held both hands up.

"Ten words?" Riez said. "Now come on, Vall would want you to give some effort."

Jefferson gave a rude expression.

"I know, I know, Vall and Riley have been nagging you to be straight on learning sign." Riez said.

Jefferson gave a "damn straight." expression back.

"But you have to give it some effort, man." Riez said. Rachel got up then left. "Vall told me that you haven't been hanging out."

Jefferson started moving his mouth and nothing came out as he complained.

"Uh huh." Riez bobbed his head. "Uh huh." Jefferson dramatically clenched his hands placing them onto the table then motioned to the entrance way. "Uh huh." And then to the drink that Riez was pouring again but this time was for Abbingding. Abbingding was joined by a male looking Andorian person with one crooked antenna. He poured a glass to the two while paying attention to the bald man. "That sucks quite for you."

Jefferson made some gestures.

"I understand." Riez said.

Jefferson stopped glaring at Riez.

"My third foster parents were deaf." Riez said. "And they played silent movies, a lot, on their spare time."

Jefferson grunted.

"Come on," Riez said. "I tried."

Jefferson gestured toward Riez's forehead.

"Just because I learned at a young age does not mean I learned quicker. I was an adult in Klingon years." Riez said. "I may be different but I am not different, brain wise,-" He gestured to the side of his cranium. "Compared to humans."

Jefferson sighed.

"Go after Robertin and learn more," Riez tapped on the side of his head. "You have hundreds if not thousands of more words to learn." Jefferson lifted his head up appearing to be annoyed. "I agree with Robertin. He had to learn to sign when he was a child for necessity. But you are an adult and that makes it even more urgent."

Jefferson opened his mouth and talked without a sound coming out.

Riez nodded his head, watching to every word coming from the mans mouth.

"You keep thinking that one day, you might wake up, and your voice box is back?" Riez asked.

Jefferson's eyes brightened as he rapidly nodded his head.

"Because it is _never_ going to happen." Riez said, with a dark expression on his face.

Jefferson got off the stool then left the room.

"Thought I would never get that through his thick skull." Riez said, and then greeted the two across from him.


	69. Chapter 69

"This is highly suspicious, captain." Spock said.

"What?" Jim said. "That they have a rowdy kid on there?"

"Negative," Spock said. "Klingons do not take prisoners."

"I recall they can be reasoned with." Jim said.

"You have heard of the stories regarding the Andorian and Vulcanian ship lost in space five years ago." Spock said.

"I didn't know that." Jim said.

"They were lost in space near Klingon territory," Spock said. "It was a science vessel. The last known activity from the ship was a report to Star Fleet about exploring and categorizing a benign anomaly." They were heading down the hall side by side. "There was no reply for forty-eight hours. A Vulcanian vessel sought them out only to find not a trace but only remnants of the anomaly."

"And everyone thinks the Klingons had a part in that?" Jim asked.

"It is likely." Spock said. "Sixty-seven point seven percent."

"And what did the Klingons say?" Jim asked.

"Nothing." Spock said. "Only silence."

"And why are there stories about it?" Jim asked.

"There are some people who come out and claim to be the survivors about it," Spock said. "Their stories are debunked or they are never heart of again. They refuse to tell their names or show themselves."

"That is fishy." Jim noted.

"What makes it even interesting is how they 'survived' the ordeal. The conditions they lived in were enough to make someone be sick, driven to their primal defense mechanism, and be a former shell of themselves," Spock said. "Recovery does not take five years. It takes a lifetime."

"Give me an example, Spock." Jim said.

"The holocaust in Germany." Spock said.

"Oh." Jim said.

"And several survivors from camps in this century that had managed to escape from places that were run by 'cardassians', which, we have yet to discover what they are," Spock said. "Lizard like people working alongside Romulans. Tall, scaled, sensitive shoulders. . ." Jim saw the Vulcan shudder. "We have no proof of their existence but only accounts that may or may not be true."

Jim looked over to his side.

"Where is Bones?" Jim asked. "He would love to see this."

"He is dealing with Riley and Vall in sick bay due to a incident in the labratory." Spock said. "I was fortunet to not have been there."

"But Riley is not a science officer." Jim said.

"He was flirting with Vall." Spock said.

"Figures." Jim said.

"Which brings us to our main course of discussion: you must speak with him regarding visiting the lab." Spock said.

"How about you do it." Jim said. "You are the head of it."

"You are his close friend." Spock said. "Even if I talked to him, he would still come back. Humans tend to listen to their own kind."

Jim sighed.

"All right, I will talk to Kevin." Jim said, then he noticed the new emblem with a different design in the middle and the new blue uniform that was darker than John's. It was Star Fleet approved and not one of the many sewn shirts seen throughout the ship. The blue shirt with a darker shade of blue was at the side. It fit Spock's broad shoulders, his attractive figure, and the sleeves were folded but still displayed his rank. Jim had noticed Spock had hairy arms during their chess games. How come he hadn't noticed that until today? "The new uniform looks good on you."

Spock nodded his head.

"The new uniform is aesthetically pleasing than the former." Spock said.

"I agree," Jim said. "I look forward to seeing _that_ in my closet."

"It has a neck zipper in the back." Spock said.

"A neck zipper." Jim said. "I never thought that would happen."

Spock looked over in the direction of the man who was three years younger than the hands briefly brushed past each other. In his mind appeared the image of a little girl who bore uncanny resemblance to Jim in a flairing yellow dress with short hair. Little sister? If Jim had one then Spock would be aware of it by now. Secret sisters, mysterious sisters, out of the blue sisters-Spock thought he had it covered. He had researched Jim Kirk before the panel to be aware of his character and what he had to expect. Jim turned his head away as they entered into the transporter room. Branolds was behind the transporter console. Jim turned in the direction of the woman then nodded. Branolds lifted down the bar. In a golden light appeared three figures including what appeared to be a eighteen year old boy inbeteen two men, one of them was a black man with a forehead crest, and the other lacked it. The boy had fair light brown eyes and light brown hair.

"This is Charlie Evans." Koloth said. "Lone survivor of a supposed crash. Raised by Thasians." He spoke it with speed that with a loud smack, slapped the young man's back knocking him down to the floor. "And we are not taking him back."

Spock raised his slanted black eyebrow.

"Welcome to the Enterprise, Charlie." Jim said, taking the boy's hand. He lifted Evans up to his feet. Evans found himself breath taken by the handsome, prince like figure standing before him. It was as though Jim stepped out of a late 21st century playboy magazine with saphire eyes. "We will take care of him." Spock lowered his eyebrow. He looked toward Spock. "Will we, Spock?"

"Affirmative." Spock said, with a nod.

"He is not in your hair anymore, captain." Jim said..

"Why did he escape Thasus?" Spock inquired.

"He refuses to tell us." Koloth said. Koloth's first officer nodded. "Do not force him to speak regarding Thasus. You will regret it."

"We learned that part the hard way." Koloth's first officer, K'Kath, said.

"We will take that into consideration." Spock said.

"Our deepest apologies that we are rushing this," K'Kath said. "We are not always like this, Captain Kirk."

Koloth nodded.

"I look forward to our next encounter." Koloth said.

"Energise." Jim said.

"Q'pla!" Koloth shouted.

Branolds raised the bar. The two Klingons vanished before their perspective. Jim faced the shorter man, his hands behind his back, looking kindly upon him. It was the expression a man usually gave his protoge. Like he saw a young, brilliant man standing before him capable of many things. That, however, is what Evan was capable of doing. Which is funny itself. Spock sensed something off about the young man and it was not pretty.

"Mr Evans, we will have you assigned temporary quarters until we get to the next star base when we reunite you with your potential relatives." Jim said.

"That would be fine, sir." Evans said.

Jim looked toward Spock.

"Would you like to give the tour or should we have a security officer do all that?" Jim asked, looking over in the direction of the Vulcan.

"Mr Kerouski is currently on shift," Spock said. "And it would be logical for the commander to give the tour. He has been touring the ship weekly to keep his memory in check."

"Call him up." Jim said. "Come on, Mr Evans, we have a rec room you can wait in." His hand wrapped around the young man's shoulder and held up his index finger. "One of many, actually, but this one is on the third deck."

Spock followed after the two out of the transporter room while he flipped out his communicator. There was a beep from Branold's communicator. Branold's flipped their communicator out, "Branold's here" only to hear a slurring drunk male. Branolds's rolled an eye as she recognized the voice as Vall who was currently suspended from being in the laboratory for a month due to a stunt he pulled a few days ago when Spock and Riez were working together. It was a group project that Spock was over seeing. And it didn't end well. Branolds recalled coming into sick bay with a burned hand from the transporter malfunctioning to see the three there. Spock was all ready disciplining Vall.

"H-hicup." Vall hiccuped. "Do you want to watch The Little Mermaid, Branny?"

"Sorry, Vall," Branolds said. "I don't watch movies with drunk men."

"Aww." Vall said. "I am booored."

"Your fault." Branolds said.

"Hey, Mr Spock wanted it." Vall said. "Not my fault it went right."

"How many shots have you drank?" Branolds asked.

"Three? Four?" Vall said. "I dunno." He sounded tired. "No one wants to hang out with me lately. Not even poor old Jefferson. I nag him to learn sign and he ignores me! Like I am not there!" The slurring was understandable by this point. "I am going to take a nap."

"Where are you at?" Branolds said.

"The Arbetorum." Vall said. "And it's very warm and cozy and soft here. I like the bedding. Vallll out."

"Brandols to Sulu." Branolds said.

"Sulu here!" Hikaru sounded chipper. "Are you reconsidering the plant study with the transporter?"

"Not quite." Branolds said. "Vall is sleeping on the plants in the Arboretum."

"Drunk, again?" Hikaru asked, with a abbiyed sigh.

"Yes, Sulu." Branolds said. "He is taking it hard with Jefferson being deaf and all."

"I will get his ass out of there and get him to his quarters," Hikaru said. "Thanks for the heads up." There was a pause. "So what about using your shift to test a new species of flower in space? Since it is a breed of flower that grows on asteroids."

"I have to ask Mr Scott and the captain regarding this matter." Branolds said.

"I am on my way. Sulu out." Branolds closed the communicator then put it away.


	70. Chapter 70

The cafeteria was still, unusual, to say for Evans. He spent his lunch hour there listening into conversations that didn't make sense to him. And he didn't like them. He had been at the observation deck watching space pass by. Four hours were spent watching space. Seeing it from a moving vessel was astounding. He saw Riez slap the ass of Vall while passing the man. Vall's cheeks turned red. _So is that how they display their affection for each other?_ ,Evans thought. Evans was walking down the corridor when he noticed Robertin, a short man, alongside a rather tall bald man who seemed to be somewhere in his late twenties. He was signing, with difficulty, but it looked strange to Evans. Evans frowned at the pair of flying hands. He was annoyed that he didn't understand what they were saying but he supposed they were talking about them.

"Repeat after me," Robertin signed. "Hell."

"Hell." Jefferson signed.

"You just signed too fast," Robertin said. "You flipped me off."

Jefferson grunted in annoyance then gestured to the left then made his hands become a fist while his left hand had the thumb released then put it into the hole made by his right hand, "This shit-" In a red flash of light, there was a sudden change to the security officers hand. Robertin screamed, falling to the floor shielding his eyes as though it was some kind of explosion that went off. Jefferson looked down down where his hands once were. His fingers were merged together. Evans smiled walking past the two men.

"Come on, kid." Robertin said, grabbing Jefferson by the forearm as silence was coming from a horrified Jeffferson.

Evans whistled until he came into the rec room on deck three.

His eyes landed on Janice who had one hand cupping the side of her face while looking at Nyota adoringly. Janice stood out to him. It was love at first sight for him. Rachel was lightly strumming a guitar. Most of the women was occupied by women and men were a minority in it with different skin colors and representing different races. There was a Vulcanian male, T'Plass, attempting to woo an Andorian Antenna less woman, H'Hivless, via chess. T'Plass had his hands below this chin. He was in a very contemplative state with green eyes and curly light brown hair that did not match his black skin. Pavel was playing against an Orion woman. He was failing miserably as his pieces were being taken by the other Orion. The Orion had slender shoulders and red short hair. Her name was Rose.

"You are a terrible player, Ensign." Rose said.

"My parents say otherwise," Pavel said. "And it was inwented in Russia."

"Like the radio." Rose said.

"Yes, like that." Pavel said.

Abbingding came past them.

"Hey, Pavel," Abbingding said, behind Pavel's seat. "Are you losing ontentionally to Lieutenant Rose?" They slapped Pavel's shoulder. "I can't believe you are being that cheesy!" They laughed. Rose looked in the direction of the young man in disbelief. "What really woos a woman is being honest with them." Abbingding clapped the young man's shoulder. "Sorry about that."

"Let's restart this game." Rose said, reorganizing the table.

Pavel sulked feeling his chances of having a relationship with this woman dwindling and dwindling.

"Sorry?" Pavel apologized, rubbing the back of his neck.

"There was a lone woman," Nyota was behind Janice rubbing her shoulders, gently singing. "Flying out in space, on a starship called the Enterprise, serving of the ship. Alone, without confidence, in serving in space. Unsure of herself." The attention toward the woman was pleasing as her singing was excellent. The strumming had become low and steady following her beat. "But with the help of her close friends, she will be confident as them," Her hand landed on the woman's shoulder. Janice looked up toward the pretty short haired woman. Her black hair was outlined by the lights aboard connected to the ceiling. Janice felt her heart race. Her cheeks heaten as flattery came to her. Singing for her! "Out in space. Which is a lonley place to be-"

Nyota stopped singing.

Her ability to sing was gone.

She clasped at her neck, attempting to sing, only-nothing, not even a sound.

T'Plass stood up from the chair then came over to the woman.

"Are you okay, Uhura?" T'Plass asked, placing a hand on the woman's shoulder.

The sound from the guitar stopped even though it was still being played.

"Hello, Ma'am," Evans said. "Look at this." He made a stack of cards appear on the desk.

T'Plass appeared to be concerned with the woman while Janice had her eyes on the row of cards. He carried a self confident smile. Janice looked in the direction of Nyota, with concern on her face, then back in the direction of the cards. There was not a sound from the room. T'Plass left the room with Nyota in tow with Pavel close behind them leaving Rose to table alongside H'Hiveless. H'Hiveless looked toward the average height woman looking over at them in intrigue. They hadn't yet to introduce each other. Evans performed his card trick taking Janice's card out of his sleeve. Janice looked down toward the card in her hand appearing to be shell shocked, and impressed.

"What's your name?" Janice asked.

"Charlie, Charlie Evans." Evans said.

"Charlie," Janice said. She recalled the discussion Mr Spock and Captain Kirk were having in the second rec room. Finding the captain was quite easy to her. Because he was like a cat. A tom cat that followed a predictable path that required beefing himself up. She didn't mean to over hear it but she did. "The boy from Thasus?"

Evans nodded.

"They were boring." Evans said

Janice looked at him in intrigue.

"What is it like Thasus?" Janice asked.

"Well. . ." Evans pause, as the sound in the room had returned. The guitar was strumming once more. "It is different compared to you."

"That is interesting," Janice said. "Are they kind people?"

Evans frowned.

"You wouldn't like them." Evans said. "They are super serious when it comes to rules."

"I think we will get a long." Janice said. "Rules are to be abided by. Keeps people safe."

"Safe?" Evans repeated. "More like keep others bored."

"Safety is important to lives."

"I don't understand." Evans said.

"We wager our mortality in space every day. There is bound to be officers who get space crazy," She twirled her fingers around her head. "Which has yet to be cured." She shook her head. "Insanity cannot be cured but it can be helped." She looked toward the young man. "We can die unexpectedly. At any moment. Any day. Any minute."

"Die?" Evans repeated.

"Death." Janice said.

"What is death?" Evans asked, taking away the cards.

"When something ends. And then something else begins. A whole new journey." Janice looked at him in concern.

"Oooh." Evans said. "So it is a evolutionary process."

Janice sighed.

"No, sort of." Janice said. "Our beings. . .Our souls. . . go somewhere else."

Evans looked at her.

"Who does it happen to?" Evans said.

Janice smiled.

"Every organic being in this galaxy." Janice said.

* * *

. . . Thirty-three minutes later. .

. . Sick Bay. .. .

"Nurse, his fingers were merged together!" Robertin said. "It is is not a joke."

Samantha was scanning the man's hand with the medical tricorder.

"I do not doubt it." Samantha said.

Jefferson's hands were trembling.

"Calm down, Harvey," Robertin said. "It is going to be all right."

Jefferson cleared his throat.

"Count to ten and think of something good in your life." Samantha said, with one hand on the man's shoulder.

The doors opened.

"Miss!" T'Plass said. "We need a doctor for Lieutenant Uhura."

Her mouth was moving but nothing was coming out.

"Ny?" Samantha turned in the direction of the terrified woman. Her face paled. "No."

Something was wrong.

Something with power to do anything had boarded the ship.

She hadn't seen anything like it before.

Dorian and John were watching buddy cop movies in John's bedroom. They were hanging out, or so they said, claiming not to be dating. She had doubt into it because they were known to be romantic partners before. Whose to say it wouldn't turn into that? Dorian . . . Dorian could help help John adjust to the after shocks of dealing with patients in space and losing people. And perhaps, dealing with space pirates. They hadn't come across a space pirate since being jetted out into space. There was a star base being built near federation space ended with deep space. She paused, deeply considering whether or not to interrupt her brother's off duty hours. It would be in his best interest. Perhaps the phenomena would fade just as it had for Jefferson. Jefferson was leaned forward rubbing the side of his forehead. Samantha squeezed the man's shoulder then glanced over to T'Spol.

"Come over here," T'Spol said. "Miss Chapel."

"It happened unexpectedly." T'Plass said. "One minute she was singing. . . the next she was not."

"Like right after sound became mute for the guitar." Pavel said.

T'Spol looked in the direction of the young Russian.

"That is illogical." T'Spol said. "But explain again what happened."

"Sure," Pavel said. "Rachel was strumming the guitar.. . "


	71. Chapter 71

John was lightly snoring while Dorian had his arm wrapped around the man's shoulder. John's head was tilted up toward the ceiling. Dorian had checked the signs to be sure that the man was sleeping. The last time he was about to turn the TV off, John had said, quite alarming him, "Turn it off and I am personally going to kill you." Which was half an hour ago. The buddy cop movie had concluded and the credits were playing. Dorian stroked the man's cheek gently with his fingers ever so lightly. John stirred, then turned to the side toward Dorian's chest. It was damning evidence that John had fallen asleep.

"Computer,"Dorian said. "Turn the Television off."

The screen turned off.

He couldn't move himself from John's resting body. His feature of not getting rest and being moody had been patched up with the last update he had to acquire after opening his DRN side. The buddy cop movies were nostalgia to John and Dorian. Dorian stroked the man's hair, slowly. It was something Dorian would do after they had a quicky in John's house. He looked back at John admiring how content he looked when asleep. How at peace he was. Asides to worrying about his patients and his staff, this was likely one of the few hours in the day that John was not worrying about anything. John's face twitched. John stroked the man's shoulder gently. John relaxed in the Dorian's arm.

It was a nice, calm steady moment together.

Dorian liked it.

Nice and quiet.


	72. Chapter 72

Sometimes people think they know what they are doing is best for everyone, including for their loved ones. Janice's father and mother, certainly, thought that way. By going into slavery. The children were not eligible for becoming slaves since they were children themselves. The slave planet had rules against child labor. Ben and Sirri were being raised by grandparents. Her younger brothers were behind the screen waving at her. They had brown hair, hazel eyes, and appeared to be identical in every way. Of course they looked alike! They were twins. They were the same age. They were waving at the screen excitedly back at their older sister.

"How is space, sis?" Sirri asked.

"Fine," Janice said. "I miss you."

"Miss you too." Sirri said.

"Me three." Ben said.

"What's the captain like?" Sirri asked.

"He is a nice guy." Janice said.

"Nice?" Ben said. "Define nice."

"He is a understanding kind of man." Janice said.

"Oooh, so the sweet kind of nice." Sirri said.

"Have you made girlfriends?" Ben asked. "I want you to get married with a woman all ready."

Janice laughed, sitting down in her pink night gown.

"I am not ready for a marriage yet, Benny." Janice said. "Like you are for getting a appendix removed."

Ben frowned.

"Me?" Ben asked. "My appendix? I don't have a appendix."

"Yes, you do." Janice said. "The doctors told me once we got to federation space."

"We still have appendixes." Sirri said. He shrugged. "At least we can get it removed at the same time."

"Yeah!" Ben said, as his eyes lit up. They shared a high five. "What else has happened in space?"

"Well," Janice said. "We came across the great barrier and lost two officers. Some of the officers are all ready dating, most of them prefer to have platonic relationships, and there is already a Muslim support group up for Muslims annoyed by their co-workers. This week they are complaining about their co-workers trying to sing the Torah and failing miserably."

"The Torah, the musical?" Sirri asked.

"Yes." Janice nodded.

"That's awesome!" Sirri said.

"And they are all ready working on it." Janice said. "I heard the musical is being written specifically to people who can understand and butcher. That are their exact words."

"So a loving, affectionate parody?" Sirri asked.

"That is sweet." Ben said

"Yes." Janice cleared her throat. "You heard of the human turned Klingon?" The boys nodded. "Well Mr Riez is on the enterprise as an Ensign in the science department." The boys had looks of awe on their faces.

"That is cool!" Ben said.

"I read a Klingon body has redunecies,from the brain, from the heart, from the spine, and teeth!" Sirri said. "When they look at someone, they have this look in their eyes when they are positive they are going to kill whoever is feet away."

"I am sure he doesn't have it." Janice said. "He comes often to the coffee machine."

"Klingons like coffee." Ben said.

"Wickeeed." Sirri said.

"We have a new 'boy' on this ship. He is rather new to civilization." Janice said.

"What he is like?" Ben asked.

"Is he feminine?" Sirri asked. "Is he mysterious and brood."

"Does he do stupid stuff thinking that it actually works?" Ben asked. "And get hurt because of it."

"IS HE A SPACE ASTRONAUT?" Sirri raised his voice, with fascination in his eye as his sister laughed.

"Neither." Janice said. "He is just average. Except for some notable differences."

The doors to Janice's quarters opened. The sounds of footsteps alarmed the boys. It sounded like someone was inside the living room. Janice was paused in place contemplating how else to word how he was like. The boys became silent at first watching him appear in the background. It felt like they were in a horror movie. His hazel eyes were on the young woman. Sirri hunched his eyebrows forward. Ben was tapping his brothers shoulder going, "Uh. . . uh. . . uh . . ."

"Like the man who just entered your quarters?" Sirri asked.

Janice turned away from the screen.

"Charlie." Janice said. "I didn't ask you to come over."

Evans was a shy young man.

"Hi." Evans said.

"Get away from my big sister," Ben said. "Or she will kick you out into space."

"Please leave." Janice said.

"I think I like you." Evans said, stepping forward, shyly. "And I heard that to display . . ." He held out a bouquet to her, as his hand trembled, with a smile. "I summoned this out for you."

"Charlie," Janice said. "I don't want a relationship."

"You don't know." Evans said.

"Yes, I do." Janice said, blocking the cameras view. "If you don't leave my quarters, I am calling security." She pressed a button ending the call between her brothers. "I don't want to do that but you are pushing your buttons." She took out her communicator from the sewn in pockets that were added and it appeared to be a natural addition. "Please leave."

Evans glared at Janice.

In a orange flash of light, Janice was gone and her dress was all that remained.

"Chicken." Evans left the room.

* * *

Riez was taking a nap in on the couch when the comn terminal was beeping from the shared bed. Riez lifted himself halfway out of the couch feeling like his entire planned afternoon was ruined. Asides to working with Amrah and the other techs such as Vall, tuning out the complaints was a necessary skill he had crafted during his time on Earth. He steered his way to the bedroom. He came to the comn terminal with a yawn. He tapped on the screen lightly to see the faces of two boys with brown hair. They shared a resemblance to the blonde who was light down the halls and if one was lucky, get to stop her, and talk about how her day was. Janice was a force that could not be put on pause. Maybe it was just Riez possibly unable to reach Janice. He had been the head of the girls club due A, he knew how women felt, B, he understood how they felt, and C, he was acting on their interests with expressed approval from the girls. He didn't know what to say when he saw the identical boys.

"Someone is in our sisters quarters!" Sirri said.

"It's the Charlie guy," Ben said. "We have been calling for the past hour-"

"And we have yet to get an answer-"

"So we decided to call you-"

"After getting your comn terminal handle-"

"Which was easy to break-"

"You should get a new handle that isn't public-"

"So that you won't get hacked into a call by mere kids."

Riez frowned.

"Maybe she is getting her beauty sleep?" Riez suggested.

The boys glared back at him.

"All right, I will check if she is fine." Riez said, then he tapped on the large screen ending the live chat.

Riez put on a blue buttoned up sleeveless shirt and then into his large boots. He scratched the back of his neck. Amrah entered into the quarters. Amrah had the body of an amazonian with the broad shoulders, muscular arms, and the strength she had was quite impressive. Riez had looked at her in awe the first time they had met. He had not met a woman like her in his life. He half wondered to himself if she was bald. He couldn't see any hair from the hijab poking out. Not even when she went to take a shower. He didn't pay attention to her when she was without a hijab. It was her face hat distracted him when she wasn't without one when she poked her head out brushing her teeth.

"Should you be having your afternoon nap?" Amrah asked, caught off guard.

"I should be." Riez said, sounding annoyed going right past the woman.

Riez exited his quarters then made his way down the corridor where he saw crewmen walking past him. He was annoyed. Shouldn't the children have contacted the captain? Or a security officer such as Jefferson-It hit the Ensign that the man was learning to do sign. And he would fail to communicate with the boys who likely have yet to learn sign. A vast majority of the officers on the ship knew sign and some did not. They made up for that hindrance by arrangements being set up for a class to be established for learning sign the following next stardate. It was a reasonable date. Leaving enough time for Robertin to lose steam from the annoyance in the few passing months.

Commander Wayne would be best suited at making sure a officer was safe with some back up such as his usual group of boys surrounding him: Owen Golfer, Benjamin Harris, Luhke Phone, and Faillis The'ine. He passed by Nyota and Samantha making out in a abandoned hallway while Nyota's body was pressed against the wall and her legs were on Samantha's waist and her arms on the woman's shoulder. Riez felt irked that he interrupted in their make out session. He passed by them hoping to be ignored. He had the worst luck. For example, in his teenage years in high school, he would often find the halls littered with horny, making out students. He wasn't horny, at least in his opinion, and he had no interest in having a relationship due to his Klingon half. He didn't know how his Klingon half would harm his partner. It was a risk he could not take. He envied humans and non-Klingons. He wondered to himself, maybe this was a impromptu make out for them? It was known to happen.

He knocked on the door.

Then waited.

It was after high school that he noticed not many cadets made out in the hallway at the academy hall. It felt foreign for him. He could only find the cadets making out in tucked away corners of the academy or above such as trees or on benches during the lunch hour while other cadets were studying in a circle on campus on the grass. He was part of those study circles. Everyone stayed away from him like he was the plague. It was win-win for him because he didn't like to be stared at, rubbed, poked at, have his ass touched by accident, have an uncomfortable study partner. So the group circle would be a 'C' shape instead of a rounded one. Half-circular. He was fortunate to have met Kelso and the other cadets who didn't care. The cadets who were gone. Most of which on the Farragut. He was in detention with Renolds and Jefferson and a host of other cadets who were not suspended from participating. When he hit puberty, the control of his rage during high school, was let loose and what damage he did was not life threatening. But apparently the detention curse had returned before the attack on Vulcan. And with vengeance. He could have been part of the Farragut crew complimentery. He could have been spared losing Kelso.

Riez knocked twice.

And waited.

He looked around, his hands behind his back, watching a few officers passing him. He could over hear their discussion about the disappointment of Stay Alive being wiped out from Star Fleet computer systems. He sighed. He hated that game. He had to carry a rose in his pocket constantly because of the manner he had died in it. Being tugged by four directions and losing all four body parts. Leg and arms. He shuddered to think about it. Amrah Assad, Science officer Ensign Crystal Devalos, Montague Cupid, and Ensign Henri Vall had played the game. Vall, surprisingly, beat the game inbetween 'shore leave' laps. The others were killed in the game in grizzly manners. He didn't like to be reminded of it. He was going to use single player on his next break in placement of his afternoon naps when the game was removed. Janice hadn't answered the door.

Then he knocked for the third time.

He heard the sound of a chicken.

"What the hell?" Riez stepped back then walked forward.

The doors opened before Riez. The clucking sounded closer but further away. There was a empty living room before the human. Not a sound. The living room was a dark abyss. The doors closed behind Riez. Riez turned in the direction of the bedroom. He walked toward it When Riez entered, he saw a lump moving in a pink night gown. The lump was moving. Riez looked in the bathroom, ever so shyly, then turned back into the bedroom. Riez felt his heart beat against his chest toward the lump. It was screaming in his ears. It was loud in his ear drums, specifically. Riez took a deep breath then exhaled. He internally vaporized the fear. Riez knelt down toward it then slowly lifted the night gown off. He staggered back with a high pitch scream seeing a blonde chicken staring right back at him with light blue eyes. The chicken bobbled its head up and down looking at him. The chicken appeared to be a hen due to the visible difference. Riez raised his slanted eyebrow then carefully picked the chicken up along with the communicator. He gently stroked the hen.

"I did not expect you to be the chicken type," Riez said. "I always took you for a humming bird." He lowered his thick, dark eyebrow staring back at the chicken. "I will inform the captain of this travesty and have you turned back into a woman, Miss Rand." He placed the hen on the bed along with the communicator he had found alongside her. "Wait right here."

Riez flipped open his communicator.

"Riez to Kirk." Riez said.

"Kirk here." Jim said.

"Miss Rand has been turned into a hen." Riez said.

"Pardon me?" Jim said.

"I have been lead to believe Mr Evans had a part in Miss Rand being turned into a hen." Riez said.

"Miss Rand is a hen." Jim repeated. Jim looked up toward Spock in the rec room during their chess game. Spock had his right eyebrow raised and his head tilted, his face easily read that, " _This is illogical. There is no known methods to turn someone into a chicken let alone by a young huma_ n."

"Affirmative, captain," Riez said.

"I will talk with Mr Evans." Jim said. "In the mean time, take her to the transporter room. I am sure Scotty can find a way to undo it."

"Aye, Captain." Riez said.

"Kirk out." Jim said.

Riez closed his communicator then put it away. He picked up the nightgown, folded it over his forearm, then picked up the hen carefully. He looked down toward the hen, commenting, "I don't know what Mr Scott can do to undo what happened to you, ma'am." He walked his way out of the room. He made a mental note to himself to turn away when the hen was being beamed into a human. He held the hen in the other side of his arm strolling down the hall. He made his way toward the turbo lift thinking how else this day could get odd. He walked into the turbo lift. He saw Rachel who was jotting down on a padd, completely alone, wearing a pair of glasses that fell down to her nose. He faked a cough. Rachel looked up in alarm then slid her glasses up then walked out of the turbo lift. Riez walked into the turbo lift then turned around. He pressed the rounded buttons to the side of the turbo lift doors hitting the button for the fifth deck. The turbo lift doors closed on Riez.


	73. Chapter 73

"Chon, Chon, Chon, Chon, Chon, Chon!" Owen fanned the commander's face. The red shirts surrounded the young man. "CHON!"

Chon, surprisingly, was a mannequin.

And so it was useless to fan above his face.

All the men men were knelt down around Chon with expressions of panic and fear plastered on their faces. Owen got up from his feet with a expression of pure fury that seemed to be alien on him. Harris felt like the universe was upside down. Was this what it would be like if they lost Chon in the field of action? Chon was a Asian man with short black hair and bore a fair resemblance to the well known actor Jackie Chan from the late 21st century. Harris stood up then took Owen by the shoulder, simply saying, "Don't do it alone. That kid has to turn Chon Wayne back into a human." Owen looked over toward his colleague.

"That asshole took our plug." Owen said.

Luhke looked up.

"What about the body?" Luhke asked.

Harris looked over toward Owen then back to Luhke. Faillis was knelt down by Chon's side silently weeping with tears strolling down the light blue face and one hand on the man's left shoulder. Faillis was experiencing emotions from all of the men around him including Chon. Chon didn't know what had happened. He was afraid, terrified, and clearly just confused. His eyes stared back, lifelessly, back at Faillis. Faillis was feeling a heavy weight on his shoulders. He could detect the same emotion from Luhke. Faillis looked toward Owen. Luhke was looking over toward Owen. Harris was looking over toward Owen. Owen paced back and forth rubbing the back of his neck.

"I honestly want to kick his ass." Owen said. "Chon was always good at deciding what to do." He turned toward the group. "Let's get him to sick bay until that little brat can undo what he has done."

"Alll right." Faillis said.

They carefully lifted the mannequin up in the corridor. They had to share holding the mannequin in their arms bridal style on the way to sick bay because it was making them emotional, most importantly Faillis. Faillis heard his heart beat against his chest. They made it to sick bay where there were other crew mates, such as Janice the yeoman with a leg that wasn't formed quite yet being taken to surgery with Riez and Abbingding side by side watching her vanish into the doors. Faillis could see other members of the crew as in-animate objects such or unusual alien beings such as a blue moving figure in a blue uniform an black pants in the shape of a human being with a deeper scar alongside the cheek. He shook his head. Was that Vall? Vall was the only science officer around with a scar like that. They placed the mannequin onto the biobed. Owen disappeared in the chaos vanishing from his friends line of sight through the other pair of doors. Dorian entered, heavily confused, to see a sick bay filled to the brim. John was part of the surgery to fix Janice's leg. Scotty was standing beside a six foot four Keenser who was sitting down on a biobed. Keenser was the kind of alien did not appear to be muscular in the slightest.

John was horrified.

"You got to be kidding me." John said.

"Hey, doctor!" Vall waved back at the doctor. "I am bouncy." He bounced up and down leaping to the ceiling then back down to the floor with quite ease. He had a human like face designed out in the blob that he had been turned into. "This is awesome."

Riez turned in the direction of John.

"Doctor McCoy, I am glad to see you." Riez said. "I see that you were caught off gaurd as the rest."

"Ensign Riez, are you sick or somethin'?" John asked.

"No, sir." Riez said.

"Out." John pointed over his shoulder. Riez looked over toward Abbingding, clutching their shoulder calming telling them, "She is going to come out of this." Then left. "Vall, stop bouncin' or I am tyin' you down to the nearest chair!" John went after the young man. "I said stop bouncin'!"

* * *

Owen was highly pissed.

So pissed that he didn't care what happened afterwards.

He followed the influx of officers heading to sick bay to find that little smug bastard. His best friend was lying there on a biobed potentially not going to be walking again. Charlie was strolling down the hall whistling with hands inside his pocket. Could Chon bare to live as a inanimate object? No. Of course not. Chon would be lost if he was left to remain that way. The tiniest of hope keeping him clinging to sanity if he was left to that way for years. Chon kidded around that he could withstand being alone, to himself, for less than a day. But mentally, without being able to speak and talk with people? That would harm Chon mentally. He knew him better than the boys knew him! They had met in the academy! They knew each other since childhood. That kid was going to deserve what was coming. Owen's hands were clutched into fists. He was a lieutenant.

He had been part of the Farragut crew when one of the medical officers shoved him into a kelvin pod with a dozen other Vulcans including the captain before it was destroyed. That was the only time he was separated from his other colleagues who were going fishing under a suspension in Mississippi. Owen was born half Vulcan, age twenty, with blond hair and blue eyes. Pointy ears. He had met up with his bethrothed T'An and decided a way to work around the problem. He could continue his service in turn that he get the Vulcanian woman pregnant. He hated seeing her as a sexual object just for that night. He was ashamed of himself. Afterwards, Owen became part of a group that made a shelter for Vulcanian women while the Enterprise was being repaired. His Vulcanian half was largely desired. He wanted to see her again in the line of duty as a botanist in the next two decades. That is if he lived long enough for that. His pointed ears could be seen through his short blonde hair. He had changed his name to a human name out of shame for his clan shaming a Romulan defector's child with a human. Unlike them, Owen offered them a suggestion to a nearby Vulcanian colony that was open to defectors before The Battle of Va'pak.

Owen saw the young man go into the laboratory.

From inside, Ensign Tohora was alongside Ashely Tisdale and they were wearing googles with metal covering the sides of their faces. They turned away to face the young man tilting their heads. Evans fell back onto the floor with a scream in pure terror. He scrambled his way back onto his two feet then ran out of the room running down the hallway. Tohora and Tisdale faced each other exchanging a confused reaction. Everyone knew not to bother scientists when the 'do not enter' screen was glowing beside the doorway.

"Did he not read the sign?" Amrah asked.

"Vall ignored it." Tohora said.

"Vall is a rebellious jokester," They turned away back to the experiment that was sparking electricity from its side. "I believe he had a hand in making this animal come to life. How? I do not know how but he has something to do with it."

"Not logical as he cannot make magic." Tohora said.

"Theoretically, he found another source or he got a computer programmer and a botanist to create this new found creature in a secret lab within the Enterprise," Amrah said. "I wonder if this spider can eat crickets."

Tohora took out the packet of crickets.

"It is worth a shot." Tohora said.

Owen came in.

"He left." Amrah said.

"Damn that kid." Owen turned around then exited and the doors closed behind him.

Owen's anger was rising.

He wanted to kick Evan's ass and then take him to the brig where he can be observed and will not be able to harm or change anyone's was for the captain not for a lower ranked ensign who didn't speak for the crew. But Owen spoke for his friends. He didn't speak for a society he distanced himself from. Vulcans, were, in his own words, " _A big fat arrogant race that hadn't gone past racism for the Romulans and viewed them as suspicious unworldly beings. That is wrong._ " He did not want to stay on New Vulcan even after he did what he could to help them. He was ashamed to be called a Vulcan to see how they treated Romulan defectors. Romulan Defectors were coming in droves to New Vulcan in order to help repopulate the society and rebuild it sharing what their ancestors had taken from Vulcan in the great time where Romulans and Vulcans split up. He didn't intend to reside on New Vulcan. If anything, he would die far, far, far, far, far away in deep space. Spock was a different breed of Vulcan and one he gladly served under. He had a strange feeling that T'An was to expect twins.

It was quite interesting being in deep space and being able to experience that.

He saw some Andorian officers with half of their faces appearing to be human and the other side that looked Andorian. They were pressed against the wall with their hands placed along the sides of their faces. Owen followed the train of confused, but changed, odd alien like beings who didn't look real. He came to the final open door. He dipped himself in to see Evans was sitting on a ledge stroking a fern. A planet beside him had a yellow uniform and appeared to be a exotic race of plant. He set himself forward then began to approach the young man. He felt a flare of fury. Yet, his hands were sweaty. Haven to see several officers were either Centaurs, a breed of humans with snake parts as their lower extremities, turned into animals, inanimate objects, and so on.

The arboretum was a wide and circular room with several plants and trees sprouting to the ceiling. It was shaped, exceptionally, like a dome. The ceiling had the allusion of the night sky above. Owen could have gone to bed after Chon mentioned that they should hit the hay and finish the conversation instead of just standing there talking about the next game of Dungeons and Dragons. It was a addicting yet hilarious game. Faillis's character had fallen for the evil guy and swung him over to his side. It was hilarious really. Chon fell over laughing kicking his legs in the air.

"Mr Evans." Owen said.

"Yes." Evans took his hand off the plant looking off into the direction of the taller man.

"Look at this." Owen approached the man and started to hold out his fist but instead he delivered a punch to the face. "Made you look." The young man had fallen into his arms, unconscious. "I am going to get a suspension because of this." He picked the young man swinging him over his shoulder. "But it is worth it." And turned away from the plant where he walked away from.


	74. Chapter 74

"You are dismissed, Mr Owen," Jim said.

Spock was _almost_ glaring a hole through Owen's head with his brown pair of eyes. Jim had a head ache throbbing in his head. Spock could feel Jim's headache, oddly enough. Owen had his hands behind his back walking away toward the door way. The doors shut behind the blonde. Evans was on the floor, knocked out, sprawled actually with his head turned toward the ceiling. Jim rubbed his forehead approaching the electric based cell. Evan's eyes slowly opened. He pushed himself up wards using his hand including the side of the wall feeling his left eye sting. That no good red shirt punched him! He was going to make him pay. Make him be unable to see. Take away his eyes. Jim cleared his throat earning the attention of the the man.

"Captain," Evans said. He saw the look of disappointment in his eyes. His heart dropped. "I can explain. . . "

"Where is Thasus?" Jim asked.

Evan's face paled.

"I can't," Evans said.

"You have harmed my crew," Jim said. "and the ability of this ship to run."

"I want out," Evans said.

"First, Thasus," Jim said. "then we can negotiate."

Evans saw through the young captain.

"I don't know," Evans said.

Jim and Spock shared a long look then their heads turn toward the man's direction.

"You came from a location where Klingons are known to frequent and that place is far in deep space where we are not authorized to go in," The last stunt taught Jim a lesson which still stung. Don't go against the rules. There is a reason why Star Fleet has them. "Which makes me think the planet that you came from is nearby deep space. Why did you leave the planet?"

"They had too many rules." Evans said.

"Rules are made for a good reason, Mr Evans." Jim said.

"Not like you lived your life under rules." Evans said.

"I lived in a environment with rules," Jim said.

Evans looked up.

"And?" Evans asked.

"Repeat offender turned captain," Jim said. "I am sure Spock here didn't break any rules."

He looked over toward the Vulcan with a supernova smile.

It made the Vulcan's vision turn dark then return to the bright, colored scenery.

Jim's sapphire eyes were entrancing-was he falling for the captain? Highly plausible for Spock's case. Spock was falling for the captain every day being under his command bit by bit. Maybe it started years ago when he was visiting Riverside with Captain Pike to recruit officers where he crashed into Nyota. And her little pug, Tommy, a energetic dog. Maybe it started when he first saw the cadet come through the academy doors in a dark jacket, gray shirt, and jeans not carrying a bag with him. The moment where he experienced Shon-ha'lock. He had seen the cadet from afar in the distance in the last three years before being in the same distance inside the same room speaking with him. Would Jim reciprocate Spock's feels? Would Jim accept being in a relationship with a hybrid? Would he have his back in his decision not choosing to have a child? Jim did not strike Spock as the type to have a child and stay alive long enough for their tenth birthday.

Humans were unpredictable.

"On the contrary," Spock said. "I have. I learned to abide them in my youth."

"How old are you?" Evans asked. "Mr-tight-on-rules."

"Twenty-eight earth years," Spock said.

Jim started to open his mouth but no word was coming out. It was as though his voice had been restrained. No one should talk to his first officer like that; name calling Spock. It was inappropriate. It was different coming from Bones. This was immature. And he was very childish. It was clear this young man had no sense of discipline. He suddenly was thrust with a image of a young man in a orange tunic with a green shirt, light orange pants, curly brown hair, light blue eyes. He looked like a polite young boy who just moved next door and was quite new to everything. Yet, there was a strong resemblance to this boy and Charlie Evans. It occurred to Jim that these were the same person.

"What about your races years?" Evans asked.

"Twenty-eight," Spock said.

"I feel like you are lying to me," Evans said.

"Vulcans do not lie," Spock said.

 _"Ya lied to Sarek?"_

 _"It was a exaggeration."_

 _That deep, rich voice sounded a lot like Ambassador Spock._

 _"In a pigs eye, it was!"_

"I don't like being lied to," Evans said.

"Vulcan had nine months," Spock said.

"Nine months?" Evans repeated.

"No winter," Spock said. "It was a humid, sandy climate with few vegetation."

"What happened to your planet?" Evans asked.

Jim placed a hand on Spock's shoulder sensing the older man's discomfort. The shoulder was a sensitive part of the Vulcan's body. Spock telepathically felt comfort come from Jim. It was a intimate form of comfort from the captain's gentle, light touch. Spock could feel Jim's concerns through a link. It was puzzling Spock. He could not hear the thoughts on Jim's mind but he can sense the emotions. He would need a marriage bond to telepathically communicate with the young captain. Which was a possibility in the air. But before he could consider it thoroughly, he had to be absolutely sure that he wanted to be in this relationship. His counterpart had urged him to engage into a relationship, Doctor McCoy had given him his blessing to date Jim, and this sudden link appearing. A possessive thought entered Spock's mind, _MINE_! His vision briefly darkened at the sight of the human. So beautiful.

Even so, he would need the captain's permission to do a intimate mind meld to discover whey he is getting Jim's emotions. Suddenly, he felt annoyance. Irritation. Concern. Worry. It wasn't coming from Jim. Nor was it coming from Spock himself. The only person who would be typically feeling these emotions daily were, quite logically, Leonard McCoy. Even so, Spock was dealing with the internal question of dating a human. Let alone someone like Jim. Someone who had a death wish. Highly likely to die at a youthful age due to his recklessness. Should he instead rekindle what relationship was designed between he and T'Pring to help his species? It was a logical choice but then it was illogical given their sexual preference. It was every Vulcanian woman's duty to help their endangered species even more so the males despite the number of them being homosexual. He had been approached by her before returning to the Enterprise regarding their betrothed marriage. They chose to dissolve it on a more convenient time. Not right after their planet was destroyed was it logical to do so. The pressure T'Pring must be under by her parents to mate. Spock could only imagine how it must feel for someone independent as T'Pring who did not wish to be planet bound.

Jim let go of Spock's shoulder.

"It was destroyed."

Evans blinked.

The words 'It was destroyed' repeated itself in his mind. The thought of a planet being destroyed was new to Evans. How does one destroy a planet? A planet, at least in his view, could not be easily destroyed. Natural disasters can riddle the climate. Air pollution can drastically alter the atmosphere for the worse. Water contamination could alter the way people clenched their thirst. Without water, there would be no way to sustain life. If there was no water, then plants would not grow. Then the planet would otherwise be a dead one.

"Destroyed?" Evans said.

"Red matter," Spock stated.

"Oh," Evans said.

"Please answer the captain's question," Spock repeated.

"I do not want to go back there," Evans said. There was a brief grimace on the Vulcan's face.

"Release my captain's vocal cords, Mr Evans," Spock said.

"Where is Thasus?" Jim asked.

"I am not telling," Evans said.

"Spock, do you suppose we should drop him off to the Ker'her'zia planet?" Jim asked.

"That would be a mistake," Spock said. "as we do not have permission to go there."

"But we know someone who doesn't need permission," Jim said.

"Captain, I am unaware of. . . " Spock paused, seeing the captain raising his eyebrows repeatedly. "Those who will be willing to take someone such as Mr Evans and tolerate his character."

"But," Jim held a finger up. "We know someone who can tolerate children _and_ has a pilot license."

"Mr Sulu," Spock said.

"No." Jim smiled.

"Doctor McCoy?" Spock said

"Marine biologist, Ben Pak," Jim said. "He is on a nearby starbase."

"A private citizen being dispatched to send a unruly child to a alien planet," Spock said. "I am not sure if that is recommended to discipline human children."

"He won't mind dropping by," Jim said.

"I don't want to go," Evans said.

"If you do not wish to go then you will undo what you have done to the crew of this ship," Spock said.

"And you will wear a ankle monitor," Jim said. "and be supervised."

"I don't like being supervised," Evans said.

"No one likes it as I do," Jim admitted. "and until Mr Pak gets here, you will be quarantined."

"It is the least we can do with your current condition," Spock said.

"That is if you do us that favor." Jim said.

"You haven't said what you will do with me," Evans said.

"You will stay in the brig until we determine somewhere you can stay without harming anyone else." Jim said

Evans narrowed his eyes.

"You dramatically pause a lot."

Jim raised a brow then looked over toward Spock.

"I do not notice these pauses, Captain," Spock replied.

Jim turned his head in the direction of the young man.

"Undo it, Mr Evans," Jim said.

Evans eyes looked toward the ceiling then back down.

"Done," Evans said.

Jim smiled.

"Thank you for that," Jim said. "Now, if you attempt to kill this security officer on my ship or any officer then you leave me with my hands tied." Jim came over to Lieutenant Security Officer Charlene Masters. "If he does anything, anything to you, inform me to the best of your ability."

"Aye, captain." Masters said with a nod. She had her arms folded against her chest in her red uniform that stood out from her dark figure.

* * *

The perspective flew into sick bay where mostly everyone had returned to normal, save for Janice whose leg was put back together and re-assimilated through medical technology. She was wiggling her toes appearing to be worried. Abbingding placed their hand on her shoulder looking down at her with sympathy. John collapsed to the floor. Vall was back to his normal self standing beside the doctor calling out for a nurse. Nurse Bracket looked up from the suddenly recovered Ensign Black who rubbed the side of his head with a groan.

"Doctor?" Bracket said. "Can you hear me?"

Vall gasped.

"Look at his hair!" Vall said.

Brackett's eyes widened as his hair was slowly turning to gray. Dorian came out of the office to find everyone standing around a biobed. He placed the padd onto the table making his way through the crowd. He passed by them until he made his way in where he stopped seeing lines appearing on John's face. Samantha darted to his side. Dorian took her by the shoulder as a expression of horror spread on her face seeing her brother laid there unconscious. Dorian looked toward her then came over to John's side checking on his pulse. His heart was starting to beat again. His kidneys were fine. His lungs, in excellent shape, including his appendix.

"What is happening to him, Doctor M'Benga?" Brackett asked.

"He had heart attack," Dorian said. "I don't know how to explain why but help me get him on the biobed."

"There is nothing to see but a doctor be stressed and fainting because of it," Samantha said.

"I hope he is not next on the kids chopping block." Black said.

"He will be fine," Beckett assured Ensign Black. "Go to your usual duties."

"Is he okay?" Janice asked.

"He needs time to recovery and only then will he be okay," T'Spol said, as she guided the officers out. "Yes, I will personally make sure your files have been signed off by Doctor M'Benga. To those who came out of surgery you must go to the recovery wing."

"Come on,Jan," Abbingding said. "I can help you over there."

Chon was being guided out by his buddies Faillis, Harris, and Luhke.

"Where is Owen?" was all Chon asked.

* * *

John's eyes slowly woke up. He felt stiff all over, and, tired. The first thing he saw was a all too familiar Vulcan looking down upon him with what appeared to be confusion in his eyes. He could see the shape of a familiar blonde head sitting down in the chair. Why was he in sick bay, in public, rather in a privatized bio quarters? He noticed there were not many patients in sick bay save for him. The headache that John had earlier was gone, completely, Jim stood up nearly scaring the shit out of the doctor with a worried expression on his face. Jim's eyes turned into a well knit version of his concern.

"Uh, Bones," Jim said. "How old are you?"

"Older than you." John replied, lifting himself up. "Did I have a heart attack or somethin'," He stretched his arms put feeling a pain in the center of his spine briefly until it went away. "Or did I hear Ensign Vall right. . ."

"Doctor, you look sixty," Spock said.

"What?" John said.

"You don't look your age." Jim said.

"What do you mean I am sixty?" John asked, as Dorian came over.

"Hey doc-" Dorian stopped and the look on his face was heartbreaking. "It appears that you have been aging rapidly."

Dorian took out a padd then switched it to mirror mode and held it out for the doctor. John saw his face staring back at him. He looked good for a sixty year old. He saw his hair had turned to gray, there were bags under his eyes, more lines here and there, and plenty laughter lines. He didn't have forehead lines-but then he saw a line appearing on the center. At first he started to smile. He was aging, for once in his stupid life, he was aging. Then his smile faded as he realized something else. He was going to die. John didn't know what to feel about that as he felt around his face for the lines. John looked over toward the two men. It was cruel. They were seeing him grow old when they never would have in their lifetimes. Old age came with dying of natural causes.

"What the hell did you ask from whoever flooded my sick bay?" John asked, lowering his hand from the side of his face leaning back into the chair.

Dorian went past the biobed.

"It was not requested to rapidly age you." Spock said.

"Feels like one of you did," John folded his arms. "Jim, I get that you care about me . . ." Samantha was being comforted by Dorian who was speaking with her sharing a brief glance over toward John. "Just not the part on askin' to see me grow old when there is a good chance yaint goin' to see me in the near future age properly."

Jim was standing there, reeling in realization, as his face spelled horror.

"If I wanted to see you grow old, doctor," Spock said. "I would have conducted a long term science experiment that involved checking in on you once per Earth week and conducted a study of being a medical professional in space affects the body physically."

"That is sweet of you," John said, shaking his hand. "But for an old fart, I would chase you out."

"Chasing me out is quite illogical." Spock said

"So is you visitin' me and makin' a study just to visit me." John said.

"Your point is valid." Spock said.

"He did something to you before," Jim said. "You angered him."

"I did come across him when headed to see the plant life in Botany to see how Hikaru was doin'," John grimaced. He didn't like the smell of the kid. The kid didn't smell good to him. There was a distinctive smell that not ordinary humans can pick up on except for him. He wrecked something out of this world. They bumped into each other. Evans rolled his eyes up dramatically before John apologized. Evans looked like a kid who made a mistake when John apologized. "Which was awhile ago. We crashed and then he rolled his eyes."

"We are sending the kid to Ker'her'zia." Jim said.

"Jim, the population there wouldn't stand a chance with him," John said. "He would worse to them than he did to me!" John saw the side of Dorian's face glowing. Jim went past the biobed. "Spock, go after him."

"The captain is right," Spock said. "He would not be able to harm any Star Fleet officers there."

"Jim is compromised," John said. "over me."

"As he appears to be captivated by you," Spock said. Damn, Jim was not over him.

"If I have to resign to make this kid realize that lettin' his emotions take over command then I will!" John said. "But, but, but," He shook his finger from side to side. "We have you."

"Doctor. . . I seem to sense your irritation." Spock said. "May I . . . when you feel it is most appropriate, may I do a mind meld?"

"After this," John said. Dorian's face stopped glowing.

"As you wish, doctor," Spock said, then he went after Jim.

Dorian came over to the man, silently, with Samantha.

"Do you want him to fix this?" Dorian asked.

"I want him to fix Sam's problem and let her age naturally," John said, as Sam took his hand.

"John. . ." Samantha said. "I don't want to be without my twin."

"Sam," John said. "I lasted ten years without you. Ten years without me and more in space." Samantha braced herself fighting back the overwhelming emotions. "I have lived lon' enough," He looked over toward Dorian. "You changed my status?"

"You are going to forget eventually." Dorian said.

"It is best we be prepared for that." Samantha said, as she nodded.

"Gee," John said. "Here I thought I would get dementia and grayed when the billions." He smiled. "Jim knows. I told him that if I get old by an entity, I rather not be turned youn' again." Dorian placed a hand on the man's shoulder. "I have been youn' for too lon',"

Tears rolled down his cheeks as the two sat on the edge of the biobed and brought the doctor into a shared hug.

John was more terrified of growing old than he was as a mortal.

* * *

Spock went after the captain. Jim's hands were in fists. He was right behind the captain experiencing the man's emotions which were, compared to Spock's, quite anguish. It was infuriating for the captain. Spock can feel the hurt etched inside the captain. Not that it was a flake of unusuality but Spock was not surprised. The captain had known the man since he had joined the academy. His counterparts holo-emitter indicated that the other Jim had not been unsteady as this man. The two men went past several science and security officers clustered in groups playing devices together in crowds. Spock, in twenty-eight years, never before had been thrusted with overwhelming emotions coming from one person. It was unusual for a Vulcan to have a connection with a human, quite rare itself.

"Captain," Spock said.

"No," Jim said.

"Captain, you are compromised," Spock said, getting in the man's way. "Your feelings for the doctor are getting in the way."

Jim briefly closed his eyes and reopened them with a sigh.

"You ever had the friend who had your back when everyone doubted you?" Jim asked.

"I did," Spock said.

"Imagine losing them," Jim said. "Imagine losing them before your eyes and there is nothing you can do."

"There is something you can do," Spock said. "Do not let your emotions govern your actions regarding Mr Evans."

"He is not a kid," Jim said. "Mr Evans is a fully grown man."

"Who does not understand that he should not fight with someone over the slightest inconvenience," Spock said. "He must be disciplined."

"You are suggesting spanking him?" Jim said. It became apparent to Spock that Jim's method of discipline for this particular man was likely going to be rough, hard, and highly furious butt slapping that it can be considered battery. Emotions were still controlling the man's thoughts. Jim needed to distance himself away from them before he could decide on what to do with the young man. The chance of Jim's friend preparing for Na'Tha'Thhya was visibly hurting him.

"Negative," Spock said. "I suggest the Klingons have some help," Spock slightly tilted his head looking at Jim with a raised eyebrow. "If you are uncomfortable being a parental figure for the man," Jim's hands started to relax. "Think of Mr Evans as a child in a man's body," It was quite a logical move of action. "The way they dealt with the problem can be helpful for you."

Jim sighed.

"You saw Captain Koloth," Jim said. "We are the last people that Klingons would go to."

"Which means they saw him as a child they cannot handle," Spock said. "Your record on Tarsus IV indicates you can handle children better than anyone else on this ship," Jim stared at the Vulcan like he had brought up his father again. "Surely, you understand what he must be feeling."

"Alone." Jim turned away, placing a hand on the supporting wall.

"Jim," Spock said. "In my culture, when one undergoes Na'Tha'Thhya. . . Fear is death is illogical for one who has lived so many lives." Jim turned slightly in Spock's direction. "For someone such as Doctor McCoy, he has experienced many different lives before he met you and I."

"Sure he has," Jim said. "But what about me? How do I deal with that? I am not the one dying."

"You accept and move forward," Spock said. "That is the best strength of a captain."

Jim turned in the direction of the Vulcan.

"I have a better idea," Jim said, as the supernova of a smile appeared on his face.

Spock for a second there wished he was _blind_.

* * *

T'Spol was leaned against the wall to her quarters staring at the ceiling processing what she had been informed by M'Benga. Her cheeks were dried. She closed her eyes then reopened them struggling to comprehend with what she had been told. It was difficult to come around to accept that a young human was dying before her eyes. Slowly, yet painfully. He was going to lose his hair within the day. It wasn't fair. Of all the things that could happen to the doctor it was a greatly distressing matter. She had her arms folded against her chest.

"Miss T'Spol?" Riez said, coming to a stop.

"Nam-tor muhl," T'Spol said.

"Bet my ass you are not," Riez said. She looked over toward the muscular man. "I lived with Vulcans for a time and I had to learn Vulcan," He leaned against the wall along side her while she was sitting down on the floor. "Something wrong?" He raised his slanted, furry dark eyebrow. "Because I hardly see a Vulcan be upset."

"Doctor McCoy is aging rapidly," T'Spol said.

"The doctor?" Riez asked.

"Affirmative," T'Spol said.

"W. . . Why?" Riez asked.

"The visitor," T'Spol said.

"Entity," Riez said, nodding in understanding.

"Of course it had to be by old age," T'Spol said.

"I mean, that is terrible," Riez said. "maybe the guy is going to undo it."

"I doubt it," T'Spol said.

Riez gave T'Spol a incredulous expression.

"Don't be so dubious," Rez said.

T'Spol sighed.

"It is the doctors wish to not be helped," T'Spol revealed.

Riez frowned.

"The captain losing his ex-boyfriend in his first year?" Riez said. "Sorry, I never heard a captain losing their CMO one year out in space in their new command." He held his fingers up. "At best, maybe," - He started counting his fingers- "three years, five years, and ten years."

T'Spol sighed.

"Do you have nothing else to do than talk to me?" T'Spol asked, head turned in his direction.

"Honestly?" Riez said. "Seeing my colleague Janice turn from a hen into a human spoiled the mood."

T'Spol raised her eyebrow

"She was a hen?" T'Spol asked.

"Yes," Riez nodded.

"I should have thought that," T'Spol said. "The toes were shaped . . peculiar."

"Hey, it is your off time," Riez said. "Why aren't you taking advantage of it instead of welling on good old Doctor McCoy?"

"I do not feel the need," T'Spol said.

"Come on," Riez said. "Miss Spol, we have a bar for people like you."

T'Spol looked over in the direction of the Klingon.

"Bars are used for celebration commonly in your culture," T'Spol said.

"And for fights," Riez said, holding his hand out for her. "But mostly?" He paused. "We go there to drown our sorrows."

T'Spol reached out, grabbing onto his forearm, and allowed him to help the Vulcan up to her feet. He placed another hand on her shoulder to make sure she did not fall. He let go of the woman's shoulder including her forearm. He started to back out only to feel that she was clenched to his chest, weeping. Her arms wrapped his back while her grip was tight. He stroked the Vulcan's back, "It is going to be fine, Miss Spol." While he had one hand under the Vulcan's shoulder blade. He lightly pat on her back using his hand under the woman's shoulder blade. Ensign Black looked at the two finding it quite odd to see a Vulcan crying in the arms of a Klingon. He glared in the direction of Ensign Black.

"Bite me," Riez said.

"Sorry," Black said, meekly as he hurried past the two.

Black had the worst luck according to his mother, and perhaps, his little sisters. He always came in when the least convenient and made the scene even far awkward. He ruined it, needless to say. Black muttered to himself, "Good grief man, you ruined another scene." He shared his quarters with Ensign Faillis The'ine. A man who was quite aware of Sanders and Black's relationship that underwent in private off duty sometimes bringing her in when his friend was entertaining himself. She wasn't bothered by his friend and that impressed Black even more noting himself not to do that in front of her. He had a dark cloud above him walking past other officers with a heavy, quick pace. He was glad to be not be half penguin with flippers, his long legs turned bird like searing through his uniform pants and his boots. These shoes were specifically made for his feet.

So he was walking barefoot.

Because the standard shoes were too tight.

They squeezed his feet together and his toenails bent against the shoe. It was awful. His parents had learned the hard way when he wailed as a infant painfully, and went to a shoe maker to measure his foot size. The floor was cool to the touch. It did not help that he was bestowed with hair covering his entire body making him seem like a lycan. And it didn't help that he had toenails that were claw like in nature. He was human, honestly! It was a rare generic disorder. His hair was fine,small, fluffy not long and curly. It gave the impression that he was bald as they came which was not true. His dark hair was shiny, his parents prided over that and he went to several beauty competitions. He won five of them in his youth when he eventually broke away.

He took a turn passing by a group of women.

"Hey Mike!" Lieutenant Simming called, waving at him. She was in the operations new new yellow dress uniform. There was a darker shade of yellow to the sides of the dress with a black claw like marker that slid down to the side. "What happened to your boots?"

"He is wearing gray pants instead of the standard pants," Rachel acknowledged. "Gray goes terrible with red."

"Has your period cramps, Simming?" Aggie asked, a woman in a red dress with a engineering division on the star.

Like it was mentioned earlier, he has terrible timing. He felt his face fluster a shade of red and his hands clasped into fists. He should have better luck. He briefly closed his eyes then reopened them with a sigh passing by them. He took another turn where he could see his quarters right up ahead. _Thank the great bird of the galaxy for that_! The young man thought. The doors opened before him allowing the man to enter the quarters. He saw Faillis sitting beside a blonde figure on the couch with a arm wrapped around the man's shoulder.

"Oh come on," Faillis said. "It can't be that bad, buddy, you got Chon back."

"What if the kid searches for me?" Owen asked.

"At best you will be asleep during then," Faillis said. "Hey Black!"

"I am going to bed." Black went past them.

"Night buddy!" Faillis chirped.

"At least this kid doesn't have to think about a potentially entity coming after them," Owen whined. "But I don't regret punching that sucker out."

"Go to your quarters and have some shut eye," Faillis said. "Buddy."

Owen sighed.

"I don't feel tired," Owen said, as Black took his clothes off in the bedroom then slid under the blankets coming to the side of the bed. He grabbed a large teddy bear that resembled a sehlat pressing it against his chest. The sehlat toy had a chewed off ear with a faded pink ribbon.

"You are a security officer with adrenaline coursing through their veins." Faillis said. "It is going to fade and you are not going to be sleeping in here. As much as I like to have you here . . ." He looked over toward the doorway then back toward the man. "I have a date with Luhke and we plan to sleeping together on this cozy, comfy couch."

"So much for having a friend like you," Owen said.

"Hey!" Faillis said, insulted. "I take offence to that."

"You got me drunk when I was sixteen and then I ended up bulldozing my treehouse!" Owen said.

"It had to go," Faillis said. "Besides, that oak tree was bound to crash upon your house."

"Calling that doing myself a favor?" Owen asked.

"A wise choice." Faillis wiggled his eyebrows unraveling his arm from around Owen's shoulder.

"All right," Owen said. "Fine, I will get some shut eye in my quarters."

"Alone," Faillis said, over dramatically. "Without a care in the world. The whole world against you," Owen stood up then glared at the man. "And throwing a little hissy fit that you are not on duty for this entire week."

Owen smacked him using the pillow.

"Oh stop it, you drama queen." Owen said.

Faillis laughed, shielding himself.

"In your dreams, cowboy!" Faillis retorted.

Owen put the pillow down and then exited the quarters. Faillis took his red shirt off then came on to the edge of the couch where he leaned against it. He felt around for the seams of this ripable pants to be sure that they were the right kind he had slipped on. They were tight around his legs, his calfs, and his ankles than the comfortable dark pants that reminded him of yoga pants but with a belt and pocket. He felt the lose pocket that had a empty bottom. His light blue antennae could sense nothing in the room as the only other person there had fallen asleep. The doors opened for Luhke. A smile grew on Faillis face then with one yank ripped off his pants and tossed them over his shoulder.

"Did you miss me?" Faillis asked.

Luhke laughed.

"Of course, Phil," Luhke said. "I did."

It was a little nickname shared between the two young men. Faillis was taller than Luhke. Faillis's name sounded a lot like the name Phyllis when it rolled off Luhke's tongue. It sounded better coming from the human. The human approached the Andorian. Faillis placed a hand on the man's cheek and the other on his back bringing the man into a kiss. It was a passionate kiss between them as they got into it. The two men fell over onto the couch where Luhke started to laugh.


	75. Chapter 75

Spock decided to pay the doctor a visit. The last time he had seen the doctor was in sick bay with graying hair, lines appearing on his face, and his eyebrows still as fierce. Spock had recently performed meditation regarding his growing feelings for the captain. And had a quick meal for breakfast. His thoughts were quietened regarding the doctors status. It was logical to check on him. Evans was in his cell, last Spock had seen, fast asleep on a bed. Spock came down the corridor. He saw Dorian talking to Brackett. Brackett had her arms folded wearing a concerned expression on her face.

"Doctor?" Spock said.

Dorian turned toward the Vulcan.

"Mr Spock," Dorian smiled, slightly at him then turned his head back toward the woman. "McCoy is not himself."

"I know," Brackett said. "He just looks at me like . . ."

"Like you are some alien," Dorian finished for her.

"Yes." Brackett nodded.

"Everyone he sees is an alien in this uniform," Dorian said. "Put yourself into the shoes of someone who never served in Star Fleet."

Brackett paused.

"I understand," Brackett said.

"Go get a drink," Dorian said. "You need it for dealing with someone like. . ."

"I will." Brackett briefly closed her eyes nodding her head.

Dorian gently let go of her shoulder allowing Brackett to go past him. Dorian looked at the direction of the Vulcan. Was it advisable to tell Spock not to enter? It was. He was not his usual self. Losing memories of this life. This identity. John didn't call Dorian by name but instead, "Hey Doctor!" There was a shell of the man that the doctor knew in the room. In the past five hours, his memory has been degrading in terms of events. Spock wore his stoic mask. Dorian felt pity for the Vulcan. The Vulcan had only knew him in the matter of days and he was falling apart right just in the middle getting to know him. Dorian, on the other hand, experienced relief. Relief that it may finally be over for the doctor.

"Is he unwell?" Spock inquired.

"He is not himself," Dorian said.

Spock took out a case of a puzzle.

"Is he well enough for a game for puzzle?" Spock asked.

Dorian smiled, looking upon the cover that showed a beach.

"I think he can do that." Dorian said.

"My question is. . ." Spock started. "Is he well enough to perform putting a puzzle together."

"He does not have steady hands but his eye sight is twenty-twenty," Dorian said. "He may escape at any time if we keep the door unlocked and instigate chaos so, as his doctor, I will have to password lock it."

"May I visit him before you decide to do so?" Spock asked.

"Just don't alarm him," Dorian said. "And if he forgets. . . don't be surprised."

Spock nodded.

"Understood," Spock said.

Spock entered the clean, pristine room. He saw the figure laid on the biobed reading a padd. He brought over a wheeled table over to the side of the man's biobed. John at first seemed to be alarmed to see the Vulcan at first then he relaxed. Spock placed the box onto the table and scooted over a chair. John turned his attention onto the padd then slid it back. He forgot where he was at. John's finger nails were well clipped.

"You should really go," John said.

"Negative," Spock said.

"Did you think I can play puzzle?" John asked, eyebrows raised.

"It helps with your memory according to studies for the elderly," Spock said.

"You callin' me old?" John asked.

"You are old," Spock said.

"Hm," John said. "Being told off by a cadet instructor. Wait, I meant Lieutenant Commander, sir."

"You are a doctor," Spock said. What was this pain in Spock's chest? "And I am a commander."

"Not in Star Fleet I ain't," John said.

Spock slowly took the padd out of the man's hand then put it onto the counter.

"You are concerning me," Spock said.

"Why should you?" John asked. "Not like we know each other. You are just visitin' me because I got a roofie by accident and Nyota got me to sick bay."

Spock opened the box then turned it upside down.

"You are Lieutenant Commander with your ex-boyfriend in the Enterprise as the assigned Chief Medical Officer," Spock said. He put the box onto the counter. He met the aged mans eyes. "You are losing your memories, doctor."

"I must be," John said. "Tell me, why did you keep comin' in my xenobiology class with your girlfriend?"

"I was invited," Spock said.

"Bet my ass you were not," John said. "My instructor was alarmed."

"I came earlier than expected," Spock said.

"And you thought that Jim was there, didn't you?" John asked.

"He was evasive," Spock admitted.

"He was in hand to hand combat class, you big dork!" John said.

John leaned to his side. Spock saw a rounded belly from the bed covers. John was in his black regulation shirt with a star fleet insignia. The belly stood out more than it should have. Spock found himself reeling in confusion. Since when did John go out and actively attempt to get abs? He was confused at first. He had no reason to believe that John was a athletic man and relied on his strength to heal people. His eyes scanned the man. Spock tilted his head then straightened it looking at his direction.

"Shall we put the puzzle together?" Spock managed to say.

"Sounds about right." John reached out putting two pieces together.

"Doctor," Spock said. "Do you ever visit the exercise deck?"

"Not really," John said. "I eat healthy."

Spock raised an eyebrow.

"Your body indicates you were in another profession before becoming a doctor," Spock said.

"Bodies can lie," John said.

"Bodies are more truthful than the human words as is the face," Spock said. "Were you part of the red cross corps?"

"Nah," John said.

"Volunteer corps?" Spock asked.

"Nah," John said. "I was just helpin' around."

"Intriguing," Spock said.

"I hope that I don't forget this," John said. "Or that you do." John slid the small pieces together clicking them in and Spock did the outline of the puzzle. "I don't even know you personally and you are bein' kind to a patient."

"You are one of a kind," Spock said.

"I was told Vulcans did not have emotions," John remarked.

"I do," Spock said.

"Jim will love you," John said. "If you got under his skin the right way."

"Since I first experienced Shon-ha'lock due to Jim . . ." Spock started. "My vision has grown dark when around him and I cannot seem to shake it off."

"Why don't you just pin him down and express your feelin's?" John asked.

"Now is not the time to do so," Spock said.

"When will there be time, Spock?" John asked.

"After your recovery," Spock said, decisively.

"You never going' to have the time if you keep put it to the side," John said.

Spock nodded.

"That is true," Spock said. Spock continued piecing together the edges.

Their hands touched during the puzzle piecing together sending a jolt of emotional arousing sensitivity. John did not seem to notice as he had eyes on the piece. Spock found himself liking the doctors company. He looked up briefly to see how the doctor was aging. It had gone slower in the waning hours now that he had noticed. John appeared to be roughly ninety-three. His fingers were slowly moving. He yanked his hand back with a wince. When John looked back at the Vulcan, he was looking at the Vulcan instructor who was in a new uniform. Nyota arranged this, he assumed, as he shrugged. He continued to put the pieces together. Spock accidentally placed his hand on the man's smaller hand. His fingers felt pain to move. John experienced strange emotion coming from out of no where that was sympathetic. If Jim were here, he wouldn't understand. Vulcans were said to be psi-positive and their entire bodies were sensitive.

John smiled back.

 _He is a nice, cute guy,_ John thought. Spock's cheeks turned a heated green. _Wonder why we didn't play this earlier._

"My apologies, Leonard," Spock said.

"Apology accepted," John said. "I feel old."

"We have a chess boar-I meant, puzzle," Spock said.

John laughed.

"Jim is always a wiz for that." John said.

"I seem to take that you failed against him?" Spock said.

"He beat me last year after we became roommates," John said. "You should meet Jim."

Spock's throat felt like it had gone dry as he stared at John, his hand steady on the puzzle piece.

"I should," Spock said, with a nod of his head. "Who is Jim?"

"Reckless hot headed kid, blue eyes, can't miss him." John said. "And I'm datin' him. I can't believe I am datin' that kid." He moved a piece of the puzzle into another piece. "Not like we are goin' to die in the same lifetime." He looked up toward Spock. "The sad thin' is? We are never goin' to see each other grow old."

"Given his character, it sounds like he can change," Spock said.

"I hope so," John said. "He is a nice kid. . . ." His eyes looked up toward the Vulcan. "You ever watched a human grow old?"

"Negative," Spock lied.

"Like, naturally, not like any experiment you pulled," John said.

"I have not," Spock said. "My mother does not count."

"Amanda Grayson is a luck gal," Spock said. "If you met her when she was my age you would be surprised!" He laughed, putting another piece back together. "If you saw her drivin' a van down the road with a boombox blarin' then saw her become a teacher-" John smiled. "Seein' her turn from a gang member to a peace lovin' girl? What a character change."

"You could not possibly be alive when my mother was your age," Spock said.

"At least that is what I heard," John quickly lied.

"What were you like as a child?" Spock inquired

"A child, sir," John said.

"Call me Spock," Spock said.

"Okay, Spock," John said.

"What were you like as a child?" Spock asked.

"Just the usual," John said. "Runnin' around, messin' with stuff but most notably rocks, jumpin', playin' hide and seek, and family picnics." On mars in space suits, John finished the recollection. He smiled at the memory. Spock appeared to be blurring out for the human. It was a tear, for his long dead parents. "And playin'."

Why was he sad?

"You played with rocks?" Spock asked.

"It was the only thin' around," John said. "Me and my best friend Sam would make a fort out of these rocks when we played with the other children. I was the medic, my sister was the queen of the fort, and we would roleplay an attack on the fort by the cowboys."

John wiped another tear off.

"I am not surprised by that," Spock said, as he got both sides of the puzzle's outlines done.

"Humanity has come so far from cars, helicopters, and air planes," John said.

"That it has," Spock said in agreement. It felt alien to mention the doctor's first name. There was a chance he wouldn't remember. And it was likely a good thing that he would not remember anything discussed here. "Leonard, how do you feel about being a father?"

"It is the best thing in the word," John said. "A beautiful thin'. A little girl. She looks exactly like me," He smiled putting more pieces together in the center making the coast line of the beach. "Got her mother eyes."

"Blue eyes," Spock said.

"Beautiful," John said, fondly.

"I can picture your daughter," Spock said.

"She is two years old," John said. "Gonna be there for her graduation. . . Hopefully."

"I believe you will be there," Spock said.

"I hope so," John said. "I promised her mother about seeing the first child we had graduate." He snickered. "If the clinic hours didn't kill me."

John looked up toward Spock. His snicker faded. John froze, looking at the unusual green skinned man who was sitting across from him. Pointy ears, slanted black eyebrows, and a black bowl hair cut similar to the Thermians that were introduced in Galaxy Quest. He remembered the uniforms. How pale they looked in comparison to average humans on the screen. What was he? He felt his heart race. How did he get here? The young man was rubbing his chin looking up in the direction of the older man. The young green, unfamiliar man raised a slanted eyebrow.

"Are you well, Leonard?" The man asked, concerned.

"I would be if I knew who you are and where the hell I am." John said.

The young man paused, staring at him, tilting his head observing him almost like a scientist would at a controlled specimen in a laboratory. He reminded John of his father who once tested to see how mice handled being away from their lab owners once given wings and a lizard tail. The mice horrified his mother. His sister, on the other hand, love it. It gave him a brief flash of a pleasant memory. He felt tired and old when he was neither of the two. A young man who had recently defeated the nightmares of Olduvai and Sarge coming after him as a beast akin to the hulk. The imagery was terrifying, and horrifying, let alone a child should never what he has seen. Nor see what he has done.

"Commander Spock of New Vulcan," Spock said. "You are on the USS Enterprise, Stardate 2258. You are Lieutenant Commander Doctor Leonard Horatio McCoy." So the Vulcan knew his secret. The doctor relaxed. He was under the identity of a doctor he knew. He had been hiding in a camp with other poor, homeless people in the year 2063. He was on a new identity, Eric Speller, year 2163 exactly a hundred years later. For all John knew, he was hit by some kind of amnesia gun. "And your age?"

"Twenty-five," John said.

Spock leaned away from the table.

"Doctor. . . ." Spock said. "While you were resting, I took the opportunity to do a mind meld to find out why I detected your emotions."

"Without my permission?" John asked.

"My apologies," Spock apologized.

"You are a cute guy but doin' that without my permission is a big no no," John said.

Spock nodded.

"I understand your dislike for it," Spock said.

"That, I do," John said. "You saw thin's no one should see."

The Vulcan raised an eyebrow.

"I have not gone into your memories," Spock said. "It was a intimate mind meld."

"And what did you find out?" John asked.

"That I have T'hy'lara," Spock replied.

"That you have a girl on your hands?" John asked. "Hey, I was never born a girl!"

"Negative," Spock said. "I have discovered that I may have two soulmates. Not one."

"How romantic," John asked. "But it won't work out."

Spock raised an eyebrow.

"Why?" Spock asked.

"I am married to someone else," John said. Spock lowered his eyebrow. "And. . . I don't think we're goin' to live the same lifetime. If you get what I mean."

"I am a Vulcan and you are a human," Spock said. "Humans easily have the same lonivitiy as Vulcans with the right medicine."

John stared at Spock.

Medicine?

Has advanced?

Perhaps enough to cure him of C-24? Just enough to allow him to age properly with people who care about him dearly? It was a fantasy that John played with largely. Though if they had cured him, this could happen? Rapidly aging? Just how long had he adapted to the changes in technology? He looked around the room to notice that he was in space on a space ship or a space station. He hear beeps from beside him. He looked over to see a screen with his health spelled out. The screen behind that showed his body. It was a perfect example of his body from head to toe. A picture from a anatomy book. He was in awe as he turned his head away toward the Vulcan. He noticed that the Vulcan was in a blue shirt with a black neck collar and a gray star insignia on his chest. It outlined his figure quite well.

"How lon' do you live?" John asked

"Normally for two hundred years," Spock said.

"Interestin'," John said. "Are we friends, colleagues, lovers, or somethin' among the lines of frenemies?"

"We are colleagues," Spock said. "Your ex-boyfriend is . . ."

"Intoxicatin' ray of sun shine that you should never ever let go on a ride alon' on their first day as a officer?" John asked.

"He is that kind of man but not fully developed," Spock said.

"So he is a pure ball of sunshine," John said.

"Affirmative," Spock said, as he nodded.

"And he was my boyfriend?" John asked.

"Yes," Spock said.

"My ex-boyfriend. . ." John said.

"Is the captain of this ship." Spock said.

"My ex-boyfriend?" John said. "I think I didn't hear you right."

"Is the captain of this ship," Spock repeated.

"How did I become this lucky?" John asked. "Havin' a actual Peter Taggart in space and been in a relationship with him?"

"You were roommates," Spock said.

"That's not right," John said. "I can not be that lucky." John looked toward the ceiling with a laugh.

"We are near deep space," Spock continued. "And awaiting for the ones who are responsible for your ailing to pick up their child."

"A child. . ." John said. "A child shot me with a amnesia gun?"

"Not exactly," Spock said.

"Bare with me," John said. "I do not remember a thin' and the only reason I wouldn't remember is if someone made a . . what's it called again."

"Amenesia phaser," Spock said.

"Yes, that," John snapped his fingers. "If I didn't get shot at by a amnesia phaser then what?"

"I cannot explain without knowing the exact method of how it was done," Spock said. "The best defense to the unknown is knowledge."

"You don't have that," John said.

"Affirmative," Spock said.

"And you are terrified," John said. "Losin' a colleague and all."

"Negative," Spock said. "I am not pleased."

"No one is happy about agin'," John said. "My aunt Barbara complained about being old."

"How old do you best feel, Leonard?" Spock asked.

"I feel like an old man," John said. "Been around too lon'. . . How do you feel?"

"I feel young," Spock said. "As humans phrase it."

"Hahahaa," John laughed. "If I can only see myself old."

Spock came to the doctor's side.

"Let me show you," Spock offered, holding his hand out.

"Ya too sweet," John said. "Telepath or somethin'?"

"Vulcans are known to be telepaths," Spock said.

"Oh," John said. "I can see a lot of regulations against telepathy because of that."

"We have that in our culture regarding the usage of telepathy," Spock said. "We have rules."

"Okay," John said. "You have my permission."

Spock placed a hand on the side of the doctor's face, chanting, "My mind to your mind, my thoughts to your thoughts."

John saw a image of himself with grayed hair and a lot of laughter lines laid on a bed with a light blue pillow under his head. A tear streaked down the side of the doctor's face. His tear. Someone was pulling forward the clock. And he was finally dying because of it. His adams apple was lowered. He could see his jawline, clearly. Sympathy came from out of no where striking John. Sarge should be here. He should be here to see him old. Not some stranger. Where was his sister? Where was she? She should be here. Did she die? Was he all alone? Was Spock the only soul out there who knew his secret? He was terrified yet saddened at the thought. The Vulcan let go of the doctor's face going back to the seat where he sat. John's eyes slowly started to open to see a strange pointy eared, green faced Vulcan staring back at him. He felt the side of his face was wet.

"Do I know you?" John asked, tiredly.

"I am your colleague," Spock said. "Commander Spock of New Vulcan."

"We are co-workers," John said.

"Affirmative," Spock said.

"Why are you here?" John asked. "I feel like. . you. . . normally. . . are not here. . . for situations like this."

"Because I care, Leonard." Spock said.

"My name is . . ." John started.

"Leonard McCoy," Spock finished. There was a look of heart break in the Vulcan's eye. "The captain is. . unable to visit due to his compromised position."

"So he is off duty?" John asked.

"In his quarters, as recommended by Doctor M'Benga," Spock said.

"Hey," John said. "If you really knew me. . . You would do me a favor and preserve what memory your . . . colleague was."

"I would," Spock said. "But it would be illogical to leave you alone."

"You are a sweetheart, Spock," John said. "I hope you are cherished."

"Taluhk nash-veh k'du," Spock said.

"Did you just insult me?" John asked, sounding hurt.

"On the contrary, it was a compliment," Spock found himself getting emotional over the old man. Is this what he may expect from Jim when he is this age? Is this what he will go through? Among the ecstasies, the miseries, the broken rules, the desperate chances, the glorious failures and the glorious victories. All of these things is what he could know with a aged, loving but beautiful human. Dating a cadet was a rule he broke. One rule, just one. Jim would break all of the rules that Spock had built up for himself as a star fleet officer. "That is a word we use to say we cherish someone. The wording I used is the golic version. Taluhk nash-veh k'dular is the plural version in golic."

John moved the puzzle pieces putting them together making the beach on the table that Spock was sitting behind.

"Fascinating," John said. "Sounds like an insult when it doesn't."

"It is," Spock agreed.

"It is really beautiful," John said. "and genius to do."

"Genius?" Spock said. "I would not say that."

"It's brilliant," John said. "You could be yellin' at each other complimenting in Vulcan and everyone things you are throwin' insults in a field surrounded by humans who do not understand Vulcan," Spock paused, considering that, while the human worked on the puzzle. "Tell me, is there any insults Vulcans use for endearment such as asshole?"

"Negative," Spock said, putting the green hill together.

"That is a shame," John said. "Would really be endearing."

"You are illogical," Spock said.

John flipped the bird at Spock.

"I live off spite," John said. "and sometimes eat asses."

"You are inappropriate," Spock said.

"Life is inappropriate, Spock," John said.

"Have you heard of k'hat'n'dlawa?" Spock said.

"No," John said.

"I just flipped the bird at you," Spock said.

John blinked while half in shock and half bewilderment, hearing a neat and tidy man, who was utterly too kind and polite, swear.

"You don't strike me as a swearer," John said. "But then again. . . k'hat'n'dlawa at you, asshole!"

"Correct," Spock said. "I said half of each others heart and soul."

"See!" John said. "I fell for it!"

Spock nodded.

"I let you fall for it," Spock said.

"Any Vulcan swear words?" John asked.

"I do not believe they would be relevant as of this moment," Spock said.

"Yes, it is," John argued.

"Worla dash-tor nash-veh du," Spock said, as the human's eyes slowly started to close and his hand laid on the puzzle piece.

"That isn't a swear," John mumbled. "Something about. . . Taluhk nash-veh du."

"K'du," Spock corrected. "It was: I would never hurt you. I prefer not to swear in front of a colleague."

"I heard that phrase before. . lon' time ago. . " John said. "You resemble him. Sholhak?" That felt wrong. That wasn't how it was said in front of him. "No. No. No. Solkar? Somethin' about the T'Plana-Heth. . ."

John thought back to seeing the figure arrive in the camp looking around with wide, curious eyes all around him. John was drinking then. Getting drunk was easy. Getting sober was not. C-24 healed his liver repeatedly. The large dark red starship parked in the center of the town improvised square with a large staircases that retracted out of the doorway. John remembered how the Vulcan smelled. Appeared, even. He was dressed like a jedi except with a big furry coat. It was fascinating. He heard the beat of the heart from the area where the liver should be. The Vulcan took a sample of the beer and did not seem to be intoxicated as was the other crewmembers. Samantha was unable to speak throughout the duration the Vulcans were there except for John who was under the alias of a volunteer fire fighter. The Vulcan had looked at the human with interest. He smelled the sands of Vulcan right off the man's robes even though the man had not been there for some time.

 _"Greetings," Solkar said. "I am S'Chn T'Gai Solkar."_

 _"Oh, hi Jedi Master," John took a drink from the cup. "Name not included."_

 _"Jedi?" Solkar inquired._

 _"People who specialize in the force," John said. "It is everywhere," He gestured around himself. "All around us. Inside us."_

 _"I did not detect another kind of force on my survey ship," Solkar said._

 _"Ah," John looked up. "Scientists?" His grip around the cup tightened._

 _"Affirmative." Solkar said._

 _"Do you even know where you landed?" John asked._

 _"Negative, but tell me." Solkar said._

 _"Bozeman, Montana," John said, as the man who shook hands with the Vulcan was enjoying a party with the other men. The dark woman looked happy and pleased. It had been a while since John had seen any of the poor, dirty men and women happy. Not since . . . He shook his head. "Most forested and hill tops. Perfect places for horses."_

 _"What are horses?" Solkar asked._

 _"Do you have any beasts that walk on all fours?" John asked, mimicking a horse with his hands on the counter. The people around him had scooted away staring at Solkar in awe. The Vulcan looked at the demonstration,bewildered, then up toward the human._

 _"Affirmative," Solkar said._

 _"Imagine them being tall, thin powerful leg and a mane dripping down the side of the neck and a tail!" John said. "The tail is soft, fine. The horses have these ears that signal their mood," John picked up the glass. "Don't want to be behind them. Docile creatures but highly dangerous."_

 _"We have motorcycles," Solkar said._

 _"No horses?" John asked. "No horses on a Earth like planet?" John frowned. "Galaxy Quest lied to me."_

 _"We have animals that can survive in the desert for weeks," Solkar said._

 _"Camels don't count nor does caucuses and scorpions," John said._

 _"I look forward to riding a horse," Solkar said, his eyes went over toward the tall man with graying hair and a long fur coat. "After I make acquaintances with the representative of this planet."_

 _John smiled._

 _"Good luck with that, kid." John said._

 _Solkar looked over toward John briefly with a raised eyebrow._

 _"I am not a child," Solkar said._

 _"M'kay," John said. "Go approach your little man crush," He fist bumped the Vulcan's shoulder then took the mug as he joined his sister_. _Solkar approached the drunken singing group._

"I was not aware you were in renacting historical events," Spock said.

"Me?" John asked. "In historical renactments? Bull shit."

Spock tilted his head, slightly.

"I am callin' you out on your shit," John clarified. Why was he speaking in a southern accent?

"Bath'paik," Spock said.

"Is that no?" John asked.

"That is nirsh," Spock said.

"Damn you, pointy eared bastard." John said.

"Bath'paik, kasemano," Spock replied.

"Did you just swear at me?" John said.

"Affirmative," Spock said.

"What did you say?" John asked. "Was it fuck you? Go to hell-"

"That is Ponfo Miran-" Spock started to say.

"Asshole?" John asked.

"Negative," Spock said.

"Cracker ass?" John asked.

"Negative, there is no ass in it." Spock said.

"Dumb ass?" John asked.

"Doctor, I said there is no ass in it," Spock said.

"Dumbass?" John said, again.

"There is no ass in it," Spock repeated himself.

"Shit? Damn?" John raised his grayed eyebrows. "Hell-IT'S DAMN, ISN'T IT?"

"One of the three," Spock said. "I cannot say."

"Yes, you can," John said. "And you choose not to tell me."

"You know the answer," Spock said, as he finished the top edge of the sea.

"How old am I?" John asked. "Seriously. . . a twenty five year old. . . shouldn't. . . have hands like these."

"Thirty-one," Spock said.

"With hands like these," John moved his hand to the side forcing it to land on to a piece. "I would say I was around a hundred."

"You look ninety-three," Spock said, sliding pieces together into the puzzle piece.

"Don't you lie to me about how old my hands look like," John said.

Spock looked up toward the human.

"Vulcans do not lie," Spock said.

"You are bluffin'," John said. "You are more emotional than . . ." He couldn't quite finish that sentence.

Spock's eyes looked down toward the man's hands. His nerves and blood vessels stood out. His fingers were thinning out instead of the healthy, fat pink fingers. Spock felt himself overcome with emotion then looked back toward the human. He reached out taking a clump of hair off the man's head. Spock took more hair until there was a shining forehead. He put the hair into the dispensary. John briefly closed his eyes then opened them to see a green elf with a black bowl cut looking down upon. John didn't feel afraid. Sam should be here. Where was she? His eyes turned toward the door then flickered back to Spock. Had they been found out? They were on the run. Oddly enough, he didn't feel like he was in any danger with this man.

"Your fingernails," Spock said.

"What about my fingernails," John asked.

"They have grown since we started this conversation," Spock said.

"Fingernails grow slowly," John said. "I don't think that is possible, sir."

Spock raised an eyebrow.

"Unless time was going faster," Spock said.

"I don't know about you but that only happens in the movies," John said.

"May I clip your fingernails?" Spock asked, politely.

"Since you asked so politely," John said, with a smile. "Yes."

Spock took out a nail clipper then slowly, yet carefully, clipped the man's fingernails. He had one hand placed on the man's hand to keep it in place. Spock sent a soothing, but calming emotion through the personal link he had made with the doctor through touch. John's eyes slowly dropped down feeling comfortable, content. He started to snore, lightly, as Spock proceeded to chip away the fingernails. He finished the man's right hand. Spock came over to the man's left side and slowly, yet carefully chipped the fingernails away. He put the pieces of fingernails into the dispensary where they vanished. He returned to the side of the bed where he slid the puzzle from under the man's grasp. He put the pieces back into the puzzle box. The door to the room opened as Spock closed the box. Spock looked over to see Jim standing there, his back straightened, arms behind his back. His hair had a new style to it with a curl to the left. His vision darkened at once within the sight of the young captain.

"How is he?" Jim asked in a low voice.

"For someone who has entered his hundreds," Spock said. "He is surprisingly handling it well. Asides to the dementia."

Jim flinched.

"Dementia?" Jim stepped forward with a concerned face.

"Affirmative," Spock said.

"Why isn't he just dying?" Jim asked "It would be best for him that he doesn't suffer."

"He may not remember this time in his life, or the academy, but he is still Leonard McCoy inside," Spock said.

Jim slightly smiled.

"He cares too much for his own good," Jim said.

"Indeed," Spock said, looking over toward the resting human. "If he wakes up . . ."

"I am prepared for that," Jim said. "Thanks for the thought, Spock."

Jim lightly placed a hand on the Vulcan's shoulder.

"My mother once told me, it is the thought that counts," Spock said.

"You have a great mother," Jim said.

It was a familiar gesture for Jim. Like he had done it countless times before. It was a muscle memory that came from the Ambassador. He had seen everything that lead to the ambassadors life aboard the Enterprise and the life the lead aboard it. Risking his entire career for him, being dishonorably discharged, and being widowed. It was a clear declaration of love with the stunt his counterpart pulled just to save his best friends body. It wasn't a bromance. Not a epic friendship. It was the greatest love story ever told. One that is being retold. One that he could live with this Vulcan. The Vulcan's brown eyes stared back at the captain. Jim was not unsure that this could happen in their lifetime. It can happen. Jim took his hand off the Vulcan's shoulder then came over to the seat to the man's right side.

"Hey Bones," Jim said. "The kid we picked up. . . We sent a signal in the general direction that Spock indicated with his name into deep space."

Spock wanted to reach out toward the human, place a hand on his shoulder, a steady hand, but-the needs of the one outweigh the needs of the few. He had to allow his captain to process this kind of problem. Perhaps this happened to his counterpart. Spock had a ugly feeling that it may not be the case as he made his way toward the doorway. The door closed behind as Jim was starting on, "And oh, your mom sent a message that she rather you read and not me because it was written really, really southern and I can't seem to read it. I intercepted it. . . Okay, I actually hacked into your comn terminal. Sorry about that."

* * *

 _Solkar was two hundred fifty-five when he decided to return to Earth. He walked slower than he used to. He certainly knew his age was wearing down upon him. He had seen the rise and creation of the United Federation of Planets. He had made out with the first man to warp drive into space, engaged in a affair with said man, and mourned when he went missing even though the link he had established with that hand shake indicated he was not dead. Quite happy, on the contrary and content. The man had been over a hundred fifty years old when they last shook hands with a fond farewell. Solkar knew the effects of radiation poisoning, when they first met afterwards, was partially responsible for his aged appearance when he should have appeared to be thirty-three. Solkar had given him illegal Romulan Ale out of gratitude for being the first human that he met. Those he knew in the late 21st century were all gone. Except. . ._

 _"Jocelyn!" John called after the woman._

 _Solkar raised his head when he heard that familiar voice._

 _"JOCELYN, I DIDN'T MEAN WHAT I SAID AFTER TAWNY!" John followed after a woman._

 _Solkar turned in the direction of the human who had stopped._

 _"Ah damn," John put his hands on his knees._

 _"No name required?" Solkar asked, coming forth._

 _"Huh?" John looked over his shoulder. He gasped. "Solkar?" He smiled. "Nice to see you again."_

 _Solkar nodded._

 _"As is you," Solkar said. "How has being immortal treated you for the past two centuries?"_

 _"Er," John said. "I am not immortal."_

 _"No one would recognize me that easily," Solkar acknowledged._

 _"Terrible," John finally said. "Feels like yesterday . . ."_

 _"You are doing quite fine yourself," Solkar said. "I am pleased to see you are alive and well."_

 _"Ha ha ha," John said. "Nice joke," He carefully took the Vulcan by the shoulder. "I know a bar that serves hot chocolate that doesn't harm the Vulcanian internal system."_

 _"I am visiting," Solkar said._

 _"Visiting my ass," John said, with a smile as they brushed past couples ranging in species. "You are here for nostalgia."_

 _"Affirmative," Solkar said._

 _"Where do you think you are?" John asked._

 _"Montana," Solkar said._

 _John smiled._

 _"You are in the wrong state, dork," John said, light heartedly patting on the Vulcan's fore arm. "You are in Georgia."_

 _"I was told this was the right place." Solkar said._

 _"Zefram Cochrane High School isn't here," John said. "Did you ask about the right high school?"_

 _"I am not sure," Solkar said._

 _"Okay, how about you and me go there and get to see him again?" John offered. "Sometimes I visit there for nostalgia."_

 _"He is a unique individual," Solkar said._

 _"He was," John said._

 _"Is," Solkar sad._

 _"What do you mean, is?" John said._

 _"He is still alive," Solkar said. "I can feel it." John gave the Vulcan a odd look._

 _"Vulcans and their links," John said. "You guys are pretty fascinating with that. Bit closed off."_

 _"It is for the good of humanity," Solkar said._

 _"I suppose so," John said. "Where were you guys when we built on Mars?"_

 _"You had yet to achieve warp drive," Solkar said._

 _"All right, that is true," John said._

 _"We were still in the way of evolving to Vulcans when Mars was struck by its unfortunate nuclear war," Solkar said._

 _"That's what everyone thinks," John said. "But if it was a nuclear war, everythin' would be gone. There wouldn't be skeletons left behind," Solkar and the pseudo immortal entered a bar together. "Not even alien Lucy would have stuck around to give me this curse and gift."_

 _"A nuclear war would be the only explanation to remove the lush life it once supported," Solkar said. "It has been a mystery. A great one," He looked over toward the human. "Did you read the Vulcan Hand Porn novel by M'Fick?"_

 _"Why would I do that?" John asked. "No wonder you guys are so private."_

 _"It is quite logical," Solkar said._

 _"Are you talking about the Great Mars Mystery novel by T'Chn M'Fig M'Fick?" John raised his eyebrows as they sat down at a bar. He slipped out a couple flat items onto the table. "Vulcan chocolate and a glass of Bourbon," He fluttered his eyelashes at the young man. "I will pay for the rest later," His eyes looked down toward the young bartender's package then back up. "Much later, Ryick."_

 _"Sure," Ryick said, as his cheeks were blushing a bright shade of pink._

 _"That I am," Solkar said._

 _John looked over toward the aged Vulcan._

 _"What happened to you?" John asked. "The last time I saw you. . . you were not givin' away a single emotion."_

 _"It is my soleful duty to be healthy externally and internally," Solkar said. "Being emotional has been deduced to be excellent on ones health."_

 _Ryick handed John the glass._

 _"Ah," John said. "So Vulcans have to take care of themselves more when they are elderly."_

 _"Precisely," Solkar said. "The young men and women. . . The ones I see on Vulcan . . . Do not understand how suppressing emotions can be unhealthy. Rather than controlling them in a healthy manner."_

 _"So Vulcans suffer emotional problems just like humans?" John asked._

 _"Just like humans, no name required," Solkar said._

 _John laughed._

 _"Is that why you have been referring to me all this time to yourself?" John prodded._

 _"Affirmative," Solkar said._

 _John held his hand out._

 _"John," John said. "John Grimm. But everyone here calls me Leonard McCoy. Doctor McCoy."_

 _Solkar reached his hand out and shook the doctor's hand._

 _"It is a pleasure to get to know you," Solkar said, feeling warmth, hope, and-was that care? It wasn't a powerful, sensationalizing touch when it came to other humans. He felt what the doctor was feeling, apparently, as he looked into the hazel eyes of the well shaved eyes. "Captain Grimm."_

 _"McCoy, please," John said._

 _"It has a nice ring to it," Solkar said. "Captain Grimm."_

 _"I am not ready for space," John said. He flinched at the thought of it._

 _"I was not referring to that," Solkar said. "You could be a very useful physician in hospitals."_

 _"Captain Grimm," John scoffled. "Sorry, that just sounds wrong."_

 _"The grim reaper being a captain?" Solkar asked._

 _"Yes," John said. Solkar nodded in understanding._

 _"Which is why you rather be referred to as Captain McCoy," Solkar observed._

 _"Because it is more appropriate for a medical starship," John said. "Just imagine Captain Grimm commandin' medical starship and all there is within the ship is death rather than life savin' procedures," He waved his hand. "Captain James Bell of the USS Bunker Hill makes new medicine break throughs every week with his first officer W, or, I think it's Walter Wallace. And his chief medical officer Zoe Brockett."_

 _"You have a bitter view over you real name," Solkar acknowledged._

 _"Bein' a marine comes with death and bein' a doctor comes with life," John said. "Sorry, that is two different occupations."_

 _"But weren't you a medic?" Solkar asked._

 _"Yes," John said._

 _"That is the same occupation," Solkar said._

 _John frowned._

 _"No," John said. "It is not."_

 _"You are a doctor," Solkar said._

 _John raised his hands up in the air._

 _"This is a circle that I am never going to win." John buried his face into his hands_

 _"It is feasible," Solkar said._

 _"Vulcan chocolate beer right up," Ryick said, sliding the glass to Solkar._

 _"I thank thee for thy's logic," Solkar said, sliding the glass forward._

 _"Len!" came a young short, red head man to the man's side. "Your song is playing."_

 _"Doctor, give me the news! I got a bad case of loving you!" The men in the bar sang along._

 _"All right, Nate," John said, sliding away from Solkar._

 _Solkar took a sip from the glass._

 _The chocolate was heavy yet sweet as it went down his throat. His tongue licked around his teeth trying to taste it again. He looked back Ryick who was giving drinks to women. John laughed as Nathan was doing a utterly, completely old style version of dancing that was common in the late 20th century. John took the man's hand and whispered something into his ear. Nathan's cheeks turned a bright shade of pink. Solkar looked over toward their direction taking another sip. A small sip. It reminded him of what Cochrane and Solkar could have been in public. If it had not been the hate toward Vulcans in the beginning with having a relationship toward Vulcans then having a relationship would have gone smoothly if not better then how it rocked off at first. The self cleaning houses built in 2100 were one step forward while the scars of hatred was still clear on the Vulcans who were around in his time. That damage kept humanity one step back even with the Vulcan High Council influences. It took T'Pol and Tripp to begin a relationship that began to mend the damage between both species on having a family. T'Pol was the first who saw his grandson. Solkar took another sip. Spock, holding him in her arms, while grayed herself looking down upon him with Tripp by her side. He was green as any Vulcan. Solkar took another sip. The lost child who never grew up into a young woman._

 _Spock would have used her guidance growing up if the child had lived._

 _Just lived, Solkar considered taking another sip._

 _His vision was turning a shade of green and turning blurry._

 _It was considered dangerous for a Vulcan his age to drink, let alone, inhale chocolate._

 _Solkar didn't give a care about it._

 _Solkar took another drink feeling light._

 _"Easy there," Ryick said. "Old man."_

 _"Chatai," Solkar said, sharply. "I am vi'ne."_

 _"Uh huh," Solkar said. "Don't drink yourself to death." Solkar looked toward the man's blurred face. "Slow down, man."_

 _"I vill do vh'ut I vu-nt," Solkar said, bitterly. Speaking federation standard was becoming difficult._

 _"Don't want to be responsible for a elderly Vulcan's death," Ryick said. "I am coming!"_

 _"Responsible?" Solkar asked, in slurred Vulcanian._

 _"Yes," Ryick said. "Responsible."_

 _Solkar shook his head taking another sip._

 _"T'Ved viproy taiya," Solkar said. "V'hral viproy tele'at pon net'no'kwa."_

 _"Day calls you old?" Another customer asks, familiar with the Vulcan language. "Hour call the elders time story?" The customer nodded. "I agree, time is a mockery and it makes us a fool of ourselves," The customer raised their drink. "To the old."_

 _"Taiya," Solkar said, clinking his drink to a toast with the Andorian. He took a drink from the glass._

 _"Remember wh'n I was young," Solkar said. "Just like. . ." His eyes drifted toward the slow dancing behind him._

 _The two men, Nate and John, were dancing in sync, together._

 _They were happy together._

 _Happy._

 _Bliss._

 _In love._

 _Solkar's glass fell with a loud crash as he felt himself topple over as a pain struck his chest. He had suffered a major heart attack. One that he may not easily rebound as he had done countless times before. A Vulcan his age wouldn't survive it. He half wondered to himself how Skon would handle losing his father and Sarek? Sarek, losing his grandfather, would be considered a blessing for him. He wouldn't need to be concerned about his grandfather no more. The S'Chn T'Gai clan had done numerous achievements. Spock would be at a complete loss. A young Vulcan who had chosen the way of star fleet than the way of Vulcanian science. John's dance with his partner lasted for a few more seconds as attention slowly turned in his direction. Not significant. John's head turned in the direction of the fallen Vulcan and his eyes showed horror._

 _"Solkar!" John shouted, running over to his side. "Oh my god, he is bleeding, someone call 911!"_

 _"Doctor," Solkar whispered._

 _"Come on," John said. "Stick with me," He placed a hand on the side of the Vulcan's head._

 _"Doctor," Solkar said._

 _John leaned forward._

 _"Forgive me," Solkar said. "Remember me." with one hand on the side of the doctor's face._

 _And he locked himself in a deep part of the man's mind. It was logical, Solkar rationalized, putting himself inside on the off chance that he met his old flame Cochrane. Solkar wanted to see him again, face to face, and actually see how he had been doing. And then again, the elders could find out where he put himself and put him into the ancient hall of thought. Solkar took the risk. He trusted the man to carry his katra long enough . . . just long enough. . . to see his old, warm and open but drunk friend. And then he would excrete his katra out of the man's mind from the inside. With all the knowledge he had, it would be illogical to do it, but he has lived too long and the information he knows may be irrelevant to the future. His hand weakly fell off the doctor's face to the floor with a soft thud._

 _"Solkar," John said, his eyes widening. "God no, don't leave on me, man!"_

* * *

 _The events afterwards were a mess but keeping John's name out of the news were pretty easy compared to the Vulcan's obituary. Spock, back then, had only heard of his grandfather's passing, while he did not feel it. As did Sarek and Skonn. Samantha made her way to the well built small house where the healers resided. She had a package tucked under her arm. The identity of Christine Chapel had recently been transferred to Vulcan for experience in tending to humans. She had earned curious looks from the men and women of Vulcan. Some of them were masks and some did not. The city was a large, beautiful one. The rental motorcycle was parked alongside the road put to the side. She had on a hood and glasses that kept the sand from her light blue eyes. Sarek walked with his wife in tow._

 _"Tonk'peh," Samantha said._

 _"Tonk'peh," Sarek said. "You are here for the doctor?"_

 _"We are colleagues," Samantha said. "I am here to make sure he is treated fine."_

 _"He is fine," Amanda said. "It is a pity that he is going through this."_

 _"No human should," Sarek held his two fingers out for the woman. "My wife."_

 _"My husband." Amanda returned the gesture. Her eyes moved toward Samantha. "I hope your friend does not get detered by this event."_

 _"He is resilient," Samantha said. "I grieve with thee."_

 _"Live long and prosper," Sarek gave the ta'al._

 _Samantha smiled, returning the gesture._

 _"Live long and prosper," Samantha said._

 _"We must go, my husband," Amanda said, guiding Sarek along. "We have a funeral to prepare for."_

 _"Ashayam," Sarek said, lightly stroking his wife's shoulder with his two fingers. "You knew him closely."_

 _"Sarek," Amanda said. "Humans grieve just like Vulcans."_

 _"As you wish," Sarek said, as Samantha went into the building._

 _The doors closed behind Samantha. She made her way into the building and lowered the hood. There was a empty waiting room with chairs seen about and closed doors. At the reception desk sat a young, pleasant appealing woman. This is Tippleton. She flashed a smile, politely at the human that turned wider. It was a pleasing experience to see another human in the same room. It felt like forever since she had been alone with human children and human adults within this room. She had her golden hair up in a beehive hair style and wore a light blue eye shadow. She put her hands under her chin admiring the nurse in a gray but well designed outfit. It fit Samantha's youthful, well kept body._

 _"Tonk'peh," Tippleton said._

 _"Christine Chapel," Samantha replied._

 _"Ah, I was told you would be here," Tippleton said, lowering her hands to the desk. "Doctor Elizabeth Warren's assistant?"_

 _"Nurse," Samantha said._

 _"Ah a nurse," Tippleton said. "you are the assistant."_

 _Samantha nodded._

 _"Do you know this man personally?" Tippleton prodded._

 _"You can say that," Samantha said. "He is like my little brother."_

 _Tippleton hummed to herself, nodding._

 _"So family," Tippleton said. "You must sign in first." Tippleton slid the padd forward._

 _Samantha leaned forward then swirled her finger on the screen, made a few taps, then handed it to the woman._

 _"Where may I find my brother?" Samantha asked._

 _"Down the hall, first turbo lift, floor 2, room forty-two," Tippleton said._

 _Samantha smiled._

 _"Thank you," Samantha said._

 _Samanatha went through the door way. She hadn't seen her brother since he went to the clinic that morning bright and early after a cup of hot, dark coffee. He normally had sweet tea in the middle of the evening. She had a packet for the sweet tea ingredients in her pocket. She had used her hacking skills to get herself here. It was a gift that she had taught herself with help from a man named Hardison in the late 2040's. Part of Leverage International on the dark side of the internet. A old, grayed man with his wife of sixty years, a thief, and his best friend Spencer the cook. Maybe not best friend but she was not sure they were in a poly relationship. Her shoes echoed in the hall. She could feel John's discomfort standing in the turbo lift. Her hands locked behind her back. The wheezing of the shaky, barely used machinery going up. It needed to be replaced. The ride up was gentle, smooth unlike the machinery wheezed when first used._

 _The doors opened before the young woman._

 _Samantha stepped out of the turbo lift. She could read in Vulcan quite well due to studying it during her time in space as space pirate. She had left the space pirate profession not only because of her crew revolting against their rules but also because of her most loyal officer, Ryib, dying in her arms. His light blue blood trickling down from his wound. His antennas chopped off by a phaser pistol blast. Blood coming from the corner of his mouth. His breathing being unsteady as he spoke in his native language to her. She later translated it to a "It has been an honor to serve with you, captain" declaration. One she would never forget. Reese and Finch escaped when she didn't. It was mostly Reese's fault that Ryib was dead. Her best friend killed by a atoner that she later found out by cornering Finch after she had made the escape with John in tow. She was better, back on feet, recovered from that devastating,tragic loss. Gone too soon. Ryib could have lived for two hundred years and died peacefully. She remembered the vessel of human scientists they came across and how rude they were._

 _She came to the door where a Vulcan woman came out._

 _"Tonk'peh," Samantha said._

 _"Tonk'peh," T'Frail said. "Nurse Chapel."_

 _"It is a honor to meet you face to face, T'Frail," Samantha said. "I have heard of you."_

 _"As have I," T'Frail said. "You were my husbands fainusu's nurse in Albuquerque."_

 _Samantha raised an eyebrow._

 _"The Romulan Defector was telling the truth?" Samantha said._

 _"Seino," T'Frail nodded._

 _"Sometimes I get people saying they knew a Vulcan and said they giggled," Samantha said._

 _"We do not giggle," T'Fail said._

 _"Exactly why I hold doubt over their credibility," Samantha said._

 _"That is quite logical," T'Frail said. "I warn you. .Doctor McCoy is. . . Irritable."_

 _"With his day," Samantha said. "I wouldn't put it past him to be angry."_

 _"Indeed," T'Frail said. "compared to those who have experienced this kind of situation . . . He is handling it a lot than they do."_

 _Samantha raised her eyebrows._

 _"Impressive?" Samantha asked, fighting back laughter._

 _"Yes," T'Fail said._

 _"And here I thought McCoy wouldn't be impressive with how he was brought in," Samantha said._

 _"We have seen many kind of unwilling katra keepers," T'Fail said._

 _"How is it like being a healer, anyhow?" Samantha asked._

 _"It is suitable," T'Fail said._

 _"You enjoy it." Samantha said, sounding surprised._

 _"It is a career I do not regret joining," T'Fail said. "As do you."_

 _Samantha nodded._

 _"I should have joined it sooner," Samantha said. "This career is the best I had so far."_

 _There was a hint of a smile on the well aged Vulcan's face._

 _"We have no regrets," T'Fail said. "You will go with your eyes open." She held her hand up and performed the ta'al sign._

 _"Dif-tor heh smusma." Samantha said, reciprocating the gesture._

 _T'Fail lowered her hand to her side then walked past the woman. Samantha entered the room to see John laid on a bed in a gray short sleeved shirt and short jeans that cut off above the knees. His hair legs were folded. As were his hair arms. She could see the distinctive throb on the side of his right temple, a nerve, that only meant he was in a bad mood. She had seen this throbbing nerve often in their new found life as immortals. But specifically when it came to arguments with Jocelyn regarding Joanna. Joanna was a little cute baby with light blue eyes and she had his eyebrows. Defensive, and offensive eyebrows. David was on Earth, in a hospital, being tended to by the best doctors in the quadrant regarding his disease that left crippled to the bed and in constant internal pain. A disease, Pyrrhoneuritis, that came off world from several colonies and had yet to be cured._

 _"John, how are you?" Samantha asked, sitting down alongside the man._

 _John briefly opened his eyes feeling a headache._

 _"After hours of being prodded at by Vulcan healers . . ." John said. "very irritable."_

 _"You can't blame them for looking," Samantha said._

 _"Just to find his stupid soul," John grumbled._

 _"There is a plus side for this," Samantha said._

 _"What? Being the first to be intruded mentally by a Vulcan?" John asked._

 _"You get to have a Vulcan's katra in your head for the rest of your miserable long life and they can't tell anyone your secret," Samantha said._

 _"Fair point," John said. "But I feel like he is not here."_

 _"Sure he is," Samantha said. "He passed away on the way to the hospital. Theoretically, if a Vulcan put himself into your head then you got to have feeling something."_

 _"Sorry. Feel nothing different," John said. "I should feel something."_

 _"Maybe it wasn't successful," Samantha said. "He was drunk."_

 _"A really old Vulcan died today because I thought he was two hundred,"John said. "And I am liable for that."_

 _"John," Samantha said. "It wasn't anticipated. At most, Vulcans, the elderly, just take a nap after a few glasses."_

 _"And I am suspended from the clinic," John said. "Who is goin' to take care of the patients. . . I have no idea."_

 _"Thomas Jackson would handle this." Samantha said._

 _"Sorry, I attended his funeral with David," John said. "TJ was a nice guy who went to Las Vegas often. But if he were still around, I think he would be sent to one those comfortable and nice memorial places for the elderly at his age," John looked toward his sister. "How is David?"_

 _"Worse shape than you are," Samantha said._

 _"I should be there," John stood up, as she placed the ingredients of tea into the cup and placed it into a machine. "I shouldn't . . I should never asked for the safe Vulcanian chocolate," She turned her head in the direction of the man. "I mean, just that, Solkar would still be alive and I take a personal day while leaving my colleagues. . . "_

 _"Nate is handling the clinic with Miss Qocket, Elone, Orion, and Chester quite fine," Samantha said._

 _"Sorry," John said. "I forgot," John stopped while rubbing the back of his neck. "I. . . I . . . I am outliving dad again."_

 _"We both are." Samantha placed a hand on the man's shoulder._

 _John looked up toward Samantha._

 _"How is your personal life?" John asked._

 _"Ellen and I split up," Samantha said. "I told her."_

 _"Sam," John said, in alarm._

 _"She didn't believe me and thought I was cheating on her," Samantha said._

 _"I don't know if that is a good thin' or bad thin'," John said. "I always thought you two were goin' smoothly together."_

 _Samantha smiled at first then the smile faded._

 _"We were not," Samantha said. "Our relationship has been getting rocky."_

 _"It is hard to have a lon' term relationship when you are immortal," John commented._

 _"It is," Samantha said. "But I don't regret it. You are my brother. You wouldn't bother learning to hack."_

 _John brought Samantha into a hug._

 _"I am the luckiest twin in this universe to have you," John said._

 _Samantha briefly closed her eyes._

 _"Me too," Samantha agreed. The lid to the machine opened for sweet, cool tea across the biobed._

* * *

Four year old Joanna was sleeping on McCoy Prime's lap as a strange cartoon was playing. Kirk Prime was right beside him, fast asleep, in golden PJ's. McCoy was in light blue PJ's. Spock Prime was fast asleep in their queen sized bed (after falling asleep during meditation). The windows showed it was dark outside showing only the stars, the dark grass scenery up ahead, and the fences. Everything was fine with the world including their retirement. McCoy heard the comn terminal beeping from the bedroom. _Damn it_ , McCoy Prime thought. He slowly slid his daughter's head off his lap then leaned her against the man. Jim had one finger on the remote that was twitching, almost. McCoy carefully made his way upstairs, stealthily, past the window then into the large bedroom. There were photographs of the Kirks, and most importantly, the Enterprise family. The _Enterprise_ Prime crew. The three old men missed them. Nyota, with her beautiful singing voice. Her way of defusing situations and getting what she wanted. Scotty, a heavy drinker but with a good heart. Pavel, a people pleaser and paranoid security admiral. Hikaru Sulu, someone who carried a spirit of Jim's command. Someone who also became president of Earth which was highly impressive. McCoy Prime smiled at the photo closing the door behind him.

McCoy Prime could hear the light snores of the Vulcan from behind him laid in bed covered in ten blankets.

 _I am a lucky man_ , McCoy considered turning toward the screen.

"Computer, answer call," McCoy Prime said.

"Answering," The computer replied.

What was junior up to, now?

"I don't mind you callin' but when it is just in the early mornin' now that is a straw!" McCoy Prime said, once the screen had turned on.

The screen had beeped to life to display a familiar green skinned man who raised his dark, thin slanted eyebrows at McCoy Prime.

"Doctor?" Spock said, in recognition.

McCoy Prime wanted to scream.

"Have you ever rapidly aged in part due to Charlie Evans?" Spock asked.

"No," McCoy Prime said. "And even if I were a doctor, I sure ain't!"

Spock frowned.

"You look like Doctor McCoy," Spock said.

"We barely look alike," McCoy Prime started to complain. "At best, we share the same eyebrows but how do we look alike that you accuse me of bein' a counterpart to: THE . . . Doctor . . . on . . . THE . . . Enterprise?" He paced back and forth throwing his hands up in the air changing his speech pattern on purpose to throw Spock off. "Like come on, is the galaxy really that small?"

"Will there be more instances of being rapidly aged?" Spock asked.

"I don't know," McCoy Prime said. "I . . . am . . . not . . . Doctor McCoy."

"It is important," Spock said.

"I don't know," McCoy Prime shrugged. "I don't have a crystal ball to determine."

The door to the bedroom opened.

"Your counterpart is rapidly aging and refuses to be turned young again," Spock said. "I must know if this event happen to the captain."

McCoy Prime paused, staring, quite blankly at Spock.

"Oh," McCoy Prime said.

Just "Oh."

"I have one question," Spock said. "How are you dealing with dementia?"

McCoy Prime frowned.

"Ah," McCoy Prime said. "No." He shook his index finger from side to side.

"Doctor-" Spock started to say but was cut off.

"No, Commander," McCoy Prime said. "This is like me tellin' you what happens at the end of James Cameron's Titanic."

"Jack dies," Spock said, blandly.

"Or The Lord of The Rings, The Hobbit trilogy, the first Marvel Cinematic Universe, the first Transformers Cinematic Universe, the first Galaxy Quest Cinematic Universe," McCoy Prime said. "and what happens to the future of Star Fleet. If I were a counterpart to your McCoy, I am strictly bound by a prime directive, not to interfere."

"Crampa!" Joanna squealed, grabbing onto McCoy's legs. "I hungry."

McCoy Prime picked up the little girl.

"Sweet pea," McCoy Prime said. "We have bananas out for you."

"Bananas ugly," Joanna said.

"Bananas good," McCoy Prime said.

"Ugly," Joanna argued.

"She has your eyes," Spock said.

"Ah, thank you," McCoy Prime said, his head briefly turned toward Spock then back to the little girl. "Why didn't you wake up your uncle?"

"Uncle makes ceweal," Joanna said. "Ceweal stinks."

"You could have been asleep at this time if you didn't play that video game," McCoy Prime said, tickling her. "But nooooo, my little Jo wanted to be up all night lon' and not miss anythin'!"

"Crampa!" Joanna giggled, throwing her head back. "Stooppppp!" Her face turned a shade of red.

McCoy Prime planted a kiss on her forehead.

"Love ya, darlin'," McCoy Prime said. "But you are not goin' to eat all day long."

"Awww," Joanna said. She turned her head toward Spock. "Hi, crampa Chock." She held her hand up and performed the ta'al sign.

"Does she know?" Spock asked.

"Know that I am a lon' lost relative," McCoy Prime said. Spock saw the figure of a man carefully enter the room. Spock recognized the man. His mind started to run wild with thoughts seeing the man come closer to the two. He was considered to be Joanna's Grandfather? Unless. . . It would mean that his counterpart was bonded to the doctor's counterpart. Was the previous marriage divorced? Highly likely. "Yes, she does," He tapped on her nose. Joanna giggled. "Who'se crampa's favorite pumpkin?"

"Me!" Joanna squealed. "Me!" She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed the doctor's cheek.

"And . . . Mine!" Kirk Prime said, by the doctor's side. He wrapped himself around the two and planted a kiss on the man's ear earning the doctor's laughter.

"Damn it, Jim, not in front of the child!" McCoy Prime said, as his face was a shade of a hot pink.

Kirk Prime snickered stepping back as Joanna was laughing.

"Yes, Jim," Kirk Prime said, feigning hurt. "In front . . . of . . . the child!"

Then Kirk held little pair of pants and dangled them glaring at the little girl in McCoy Prime's arms.

"You . . . took your . . . pants off, Jo!" Joanna was in a big blue sweat shirt that made it seem to her body it was a dress instead. McCoy Prime unraveled her arms from around his neck then held her out for Kirk Prime. "You have to. . . knock . . . that . . . habit off, sweetie."

"I don't like pants," Joanna whined.

"Then . . . get . . . skirts," Kirk Prime said, as he slid it on her ankles first with great care.

"Jocelyn doesn't like getting her skirts," McCoy Prime said.

"I don't like pants!" Joanna whined.

"Or maybe she doesn't trust us with her in a -" McCoy Prime was cut off by the admiral.

"Ah, don't suggest that, Bones," Kirk Prime cut off the doctor kindly looking back up toward the man with a smile-a smile that was like a supernova, one that made Spock's vision turn dim. "It is . . . probably a fashion . . . statement," The elder Kirk waved his hand dismissingly. "Jocelyn doesn't wear skirts, either, not that I give her fashion advice but that jacket was awful. I ordered a better one for her doorstep yesterday."

"You are . . . wearing pants in this . . . house, young lady," Kirk Prime said, as he reached the pants up over her foreleg, knees, and then above her stomach. "Now, you can get in a . . . little blue dress . . . if you want to . . . have a nap-nap in. . . my childhood bedroom," He held his index finger up. "But!" He glared back at her. "No going . . . downstairs to play . . . a video game all night."

"Kay, crampa," Joanna said.

"And don't watch a cartoon instead," McCoy Prime added, placing his little girl to the floor.

"Another bedroom?" Joanna said.

McCoy Prime and Kirk Prime shared a laugh.

"Been sleepin' in the guest room for so lon' we forgot about your bedroom," McCoy Prime said.

Kirk Prime rubbed the back of his neck.

"I forgot. . . about it . . . until today," Kirk Prime admitted. Spock Prime turned on the bed, snoring.

"I am surprised," McCoy Prime said. "Ya know this place better than I," He looked down toward Joanna. "Which one of us do ya want to take ya to bed?"

Joanna shrugged.

"Both good," Joanna said.

"Rock . . . paper . . . scissors?" Kirk Prime said.

"No, how about the Rock Paper Scissors Spock Lizard," McCoy Prime said.

"We . . . never . . used it," Kirk Prime said.

"Never hurts to try it once in our lifetimes," McCoy Prime said.

"Well, it was Mr La Forge's . . . concept that was used . . . once," Kirk Prime said.

"For a very important meetin' to get a message across," McCoy Prime said.

"Fine," Kirk Prime said. "Just once. Because that . . . game I cannot . . . keep up with."

"You are old, deal with it," McCoy Prime said.

"Rock Paper Scissors Spock Lizard!" The two men ended with McCoy Prime's paper crushed by Jim's fist.

"Come on, pumpkin," McCoy Prime said, taking Joanna by the hand.

Kirk Prime turned in the direction of the screen as the two walked out.

"Mr Spock?" Kirk Prime said. "Are you all right?"

"I have T'hy'lara," Spock said.

Kirk Prime sighed, briefly closing his eyes.

"No, Mr Spock, there's a snag in that . . . in this . . . you reside in," Kirk Prime shook his hand. "You have T'hy'la."

"It is not logical to live with two male individuals and not be considered that," Spock said.

"Mr Spock, your Bones . . is married to someone else and . . ." Kirk Prime said. "There is . . . just no chance . . . of it happening."

"But the doctor and you happened," Spock said.

"Because my Bones . . . never got married . . . to someone," Kirk Prime said. "This . . . Bones is not. . . who you think he is."

"That is illogical," Spock said.

"I know it isn't," Kirk Prime said. "But . . . it . . . is . . . logical."

"If I cannot have either then I will not have either," Spock said.

Kirk Prime rubbed his hands together. The sound of the tribble was soothing to him.

"Mr Spock," Kirk Prime said. "I am sorry. But you . . . can not have . . . everything. I wish . . . I can say . . . otherwise."

Spock Prime straightened himself out of bed.

"T'hy'la," Spock Prime said, half awake and half asleep. "Where is the samwich?"

Kirk Prime looked over.

"Honey, you don't get the samwich until the fat cow sings," Kirk Prime said.

Spock Prime held the blankets tightly around him heading toward the bathroom grumbling to himself about, "Birbs," "Cryptids," and "salt shakers" as Jim looked at his direction ever so lovingly. His attention turned toward the screen. McCoy came back in then fell face first onto the bed and crawled under the covers. The blanket was tossed out of the bathroom landing in front of the doorway. McCoy Prime had been up for two hours trying to beat his daughter in Halo with Kirk Prime. McCoy Prime started to snore.

"Look," Kirk Prime finally said. "You are pinning . . . on my Bones's . . . counterpart. It is not . . . going to end . . . well."

"It ended excellent apparently for my counterpart," Spock said.

"Mr Spock," Kirk Prime said. "Anything . . . can . . . happen here. My counterpart could die . . a hundred years . . . too late."

"He is reckless," Spock admitted.

"And Bones with him," Kirk Prime said. "You can prevent . . that . . . from happening."

Spock gave Kirk Prime the glare.

"If Captain Kirk is happy . . then the doctor is happy," Kirk Prime said. "If anything, you could be . . . friends with benefits . . . but not in a long term relationship," He felt uneasy talking about himself this way but it had to be said with Spock. "It is as simple as that. Do you really want Captain Kirk . . . to become . . . depressed and lonely . . . because he does not . . . have a long term relationship?"

"Negative," Spock said.

"Then you will not attempt . . . to forge a marriage bond . . . with the doctor of this timeline," Kirk Prime said. "Don't. . . you. . . dare, Mr Spock," Spock nodded. The man lowered his hand. "It will cause you . . . more . . . heart break than anything," Jim shook his index finger. "Trust . . . me . . . on . . . this."

"I understand," Spock said, as Kirk Prime briefly vanished from the screen and came back with a roll of attire.

"Good," Kirk Prime said. "Because the younger me . . is pinning . . . on you."

"T'hy'la," Spock Prime called.

Kirk Prime took off his toupee.

"Your head is shiny," Spock said.

"The shower is running," Spock Prime said.

"Thank you," Kirk Prime said. Spock's vision nearly turned dark seeing that beautiful, majestic smile on the elderly admiral. "Coming, T'hy'la!" He placed the purring toupee on the counter. "Kirk out."

The screen turned to black leaving the Vulcan alone.

Now that Spock noticed it, his quarters felt empty.

Like it lacked something.

He was missing something.

He couldn't put his finger on to it.

At least, not yet.


	76. Chapter 76

Feeding John breakfast was another story. Dorian assigned Nurse Chelso to spoon feed John since his motor skills were failing. Jim was on the bridge, on his shift, after being dismissed by Dorian because he shouldn't have to see a friend degrade like that. She was a patient woman. Someone who was trust worthy enough to make a lie and make it sound truthful for the sake of a patient. Dorian entered the room then placed a hand on the broad shouldered woman. John's eyes were closed while fast asleep, snoring.

"How is he?" Dorian asked.

Nurse Chelso appeared to be very masculine in build in the male variation of the nurse out fit and his hair style was set differently from where it had been normally when the synthetic saw Chelso styled as a woman. Chelso looked down sadly toward the rapidly aging man clearing his throat then looked up in the direction of the dark man appearing to be disturbed for what he had to report.

"I had to use the suction on him to prevent McCoy from drowning," Chelso said. "Otherwise, he is. . . He is terrible."

"If it went any faster, then he would all be but a skeleton," Dorian said. He noticed the man had gone bald.

"No," Chelso said. "Just a resting fragile bag. He can't walk."

"Oh," Dorian said, taking his hand off the man's shoulder. "when did he lose feeling in his legs?"

"Forty-three minutes ago," Chelso said, getting up from the chair. "He should be dead by now. . . He keeps asking for his sister."

"He doesn't have a sister," Dorian said.

Chelso nodded.

"I keep telling him that," Chelso said.

"How old do you think he is?" Dorian said.

"Two hundred twelve," Chelso said. "his aging has stopped."

"That is interesting," Dorian said. "aging him but not killing him."

Chelso nodded.

"I find myself perplexed," Chelso said. "someone like him would be dead by now."

"He is lucky," Dorian reasoned.

"Maybe unlucky," Chelso said. "I wouldn't be pleased to him if I were in his shoes."

"Not knowing what is happening to you and your body," Dorian said. "This is a travesty."

"He could go at any time," Chelso said. "Doctor. . . I recommend. . ." Chelso nearly choked on his words. He regained his composure being stared upon by the synthetic android standing before him. "It would be humane to euthanize him. No more suffering."

Dorian nodded.

"I'll do it," Dorian said. "After . . . " Dorian paused, briefly. "After I show him the observation deck."

". . . I grieve with thee," Chelso said, placing one hand on the synthetic's shoulder.

* * *

Nyota was monitoring the communication frequencies and half, dazed, really, thinking about how heart broken Christine was. Her body language indicated that she cared about the doctor as a brother, as if, he _was_ her brother. Jim was in the captain's chair leaned to the right. It was as though the center of gravitation was coming from the left side when it came to Jim sitting down. Hikaru had a photograph of a young man on his console. Pavel was texting with ease while being attending to his station at the same time. Christine was not on duty this morning taking personal time. Nyota had left Christine's two hours ago. Christine was in a fetal position crying into a pillow the last time she had seen her.

Nyota was worried about Christine.

If the doctor died, it would kill her and grief would be tough on her.

 _Well_ , Nyota thought, _she was there for me after I heard Gaila was part of the Farragut's casualties_.

So she should be there for Christine.

Nyota nodded to herself.

Friends stuck together, no matter what life threw at them. And The Enterprise had assigned communications officers at Starbase 1 that monitored the internet activity of the crew. It was against the rules for a first officer and commanding officer to be in a relationship. It could compromise the two men or women, emotionally, regarding command decisions. Be reckless. Be unhinged. And not properly represent the united federation of planets and humanity as a whole. So even considering being open, internet wise, regarding a romantic relationship between commanding officer and first officer was a tricky subject. Even if fate said so and star fleet disproved of it, things were bound to change.

Naturally.

"Captain," Spock said, suddenly by the captain's side.

"Spock," Kirk said.

"You seem to be unwell," Spock acknowledged.

"I am not," Kirk said. "possibly losing an ex can do that to you."

"He will get better," Spock said.

"You?" Kirk said, in disbelief. "believing in miracles?"

"There is hope in the impossible, captain," Spock said.

There was a series of beeps from the captain's chair.

"Bridge here," Kirk said.

"This is the brig," came the security officer's voice. "Mr Evans is gone. He just vanished."

Kirk looked over toward Spock.

"Vanished. . ." Kirk said.

Spock raised a eyebrow.

"Fascinating," Spock said. "He is capable of transporting himself. He could be anywhere aboard the ship."

Kirk turned from the station with a look of shock and confusion on his face.

"What is going on here?" Kirk said.

* * *

John sat in a wheelchair gazing off into space.

Dorian was by his side with one hand on the man's shoulder.

John's eyes were struggling to remain open looking off into the stars. Dorian knew what he had to do. To preserve the secret regarding what was in John's blood. To preserve everyone from knowing who he was. To know that he was just Leonard McCoy, a old country doctor, and their friend. He had blended in just as he had many times before. Tucking him into a stasis pod right after he logged his examination then using a dummy to serve for the marines fake funeral. Then, Dorian and Sam would leave the Enterprise to find a way to undo what Evans had done. Forever on the brink of death was no way to live. Even for someone who loved helping people it just would not work for John. He would hate being immortal. And wish to be released from that body.

"I was born in space," John said. "I am . . . a martian. . . compared to you."

"And I am a artificial intelligence," Dorian said, jokingly.

"I was born in mars, actually," John said. "You kids have it better."

"What do you remember?" Dorian asked.

"Not much," John said. "time flies faster on mars. . . I was going out with Sam and my parents-hey. . . is that a new space ship?"

Dorian froze where he stood seeing a ship come out of thin air outlined in light blue. It was strikingly different. A unique ship that looked nothing like he had seen. Dorian scanned the ship. Nothing came up in his data banks. John's hand slowly reached out to Dorian then clenched it. John's brown eyes looked in awe at space. A floating blue entity appeared before the two men dressed in long, extragrant attire and shining jewelery. It was a woman who seemed to have a dark complexion. Her eyes radiated a shade of blue that her ship was glowing in. She was seemingly floating from above the floor.

"We offer you drinks," a large collection of beverages appeared on a tray. "For your troubles."

"Actually," Dorian said. "We need help."

The woman's eyes drifted toward the old man.

"Ah," her voice was unique and god like. She turned her attention toward Dorian. "You wish for us to undo what Charlie had done."

"Yes," John croaked. "I want to be young again."

"I want my friend back," Dorian said.

"But he will be alone," the woman reminded him.

"He won't be," Dorian said. "I will make sure of it."

"This desire of yours cannot be undone once it has been performed," the woman said.

"I understand," Dorian said.

"We accept," John said.

"Take my hand, Doctor. . . McCoy," the woman held her long yet small hand out.

Dorian let go of the older man's hand.

"Go," Dorian said. John looked over toward the doctor with a familiar smile. "I will be waiting."

"Be right back, kid," John said.

John turned his head away then took the woman's hand.

They vanished in a orange light.


	77. Chapter 77

"Kaptain, Doctor McCoy's quarters have been broken into," Pavel said. "Readings indicate human."

Kirk speeded out of the bridge.

 _Bones!_

* * *

The door to John's quarters opened.

John was in his black regulation shirt, loosely, leaning against the frame rubbing one of his eyes. John didn't get a single word out before Kirk lunged forward tackling the man to the floor in a hug. Spock was right behind him. John was confused as he looked back at what he could have possibly went through to deserve a hug. The last he recalled was being in sick bay-something happened back there. And he never felt so tired before. Actually, there were moments in time as a marine where he was lethargic. Making sure that several nations of Earth lived to see another day. Now that he was thinking of it. . .

He needed a little more of sleep.

He hadn't gotten all his beauty sleep down.

John groaned closing his eyes falling into the comforting darkness. The warmer body was lifted off him.

"Whatever the Thasians did to undo, the chances are that he needs all the rest he can get," Spock said.

Kirk slowly nodded his head in agreement.

"Let's get him to bed," Kirk said.

Their hands reached out taking him by the forearm.

"Hhhhm," John groaned.

His arms were linked on their shoulders.

"Did he do this back at the academy?" Spock inquired. Kirk had a fond smile in return.

"There were times I had to bring him back to our quarters after he over studied," Kirk said, fondly.

The doors to John's bedroom opened. In the room there were several pictures of himself in various attire with different people. The two men placed the doctor into the bed under the sheets. Spock turned toward the counter on the left side of the starfleet standard gray-purple bed. There was one very old holophotograph displaying a odd group of men in dark uniforms holding guns and grinning from ear to ear, victoriously. He raised a slanted eyebrow noticing how young the doctor was. Spock's mind came to a abrupt stop. Kirk was saying something and Spock wasn't hearing any of it. His voice was acting as background music. Spock turned. McCoy looked just as young as he had in the holophotograph. He put the pieces together as he placed the photograph onto the table with bitter acceptance. Spock's eyes turned toward Kirk.

Kirk was smiling radiantly, happily, down toward John.

"My mom really liked him," Kirk said. "And she would have happily accepted him into the family. But it was not meant to be."

"Jim. . ." Spock said, as the human turned his head toward the Vulcan. Spock turned the holophotograph. "May we talk in private?"

"Bones won't mind," Kirk said.

"My plans I mentioned earlier regarding death," Spock said. Kirk grew alarmed. "it is about that."

"All right," Kirk said, coming to the side of the edge. "After you."

Spock tilted his head gesturing the captain in. Kirk went out first, then Spock looked over toward John, and finally Spock left too.

* * *

It had been a week since the events featuring Evans. The Enterprise was given a new away mission and Kirk was resting in the captain's chair. They were on a rescue mission to retrieve a set of lost Starfleet personnel who had crash landed on the planet a few days ago. Spock had insisted that he go alone with several security officers, and John had insisted that he go with them, too. The list of security officers on the away mission were: Benjamin Harris, Luhke Phone, Faillis The'ine, Chon Wayne. Kirk had a bad feeling about it. Something that he couldn't touch. He hated not being on the away mission with John. It didn't feel safe. It didn't help that the away mission was on a very cold planet. Class M. It was similar to Delta Vega yet not at all similar at the same time. It wasn't a mainly mountain area. The last report indicated they were in a icicle section. With walls of ice surrounding them as they made their way down.

Kirk's fingers were tapping on the arm rest of the chair.

Kirk glanced over toward Spock's empty station then toward the view screen.

Sure, he was scared of losing John so soon during a away mission.

It was Kirk's undeniable weakness, he cared too much about John and Spock.

"The away party is hailing," Uhura said.

"Audio on," Kirk said.

"Aye, captain," Uhura turned toward her station and turned on the audio.

"They are dead, Jim," John said. "Their shuttle craft didn't have enough power to keep them warm."

"Did they leave behind any logs regarding their accident?" Jim inquired.

"Spock is checking," John said. There was a long pause on the bridge. "Uh. . .Umm. . that's kind of wild, Mr Spock."

"What is it?" Kirk asked.

"They had a icicle project, Captain," Spock said. "They said it was released after the crash landing. Would explain their injuries."

"They died of hypothermia," John said.

"Bones, Spock, get out of there," Kirk said. "get to the surface and prepare for a beam up."

"We are sending the logs to the Enterprise," Spock said. There was phaser firing from over the communicator.

"What is going on?" Kirk asked.

"We are being attacked," Spock said, plainly. He heard the shouts of a security officer to have the team act as a shield for the two officers. "Spock out."

"Bridge to transporter room, prepare to lock in on the away party on the surface," Kirk said, calmly, keeping back his emotions to a certain degree. He can feel all the eyes of the bridge were on him. "Bridge out."

Kirk was taking Spock's advice to heart.

On duty, he shouldn't let his emotions govern him.

Not on the bridge in front of the other officers

Not in public, at least, in private it was a different story.

In a way, his mother would be proud to see her boy growing up a little on the bridge.

What would George Kirk do? He would take Spock's advice to heart. Kirk had decided to do what his father would do rather than what he would do. Kirk had still a lot to learn to be captain of a ship. A thousand lives dependent on him. Kirk was leaned to his side on the chair. Every second that ticked by was a second not knowing if the away party was making their way to the bridge. Every minute felt like hours passing. Had he lost Spock and John at once, at the same time, it would undeniably break him. The trust and loyalty-the memories that slipped in the mind meld with older Spock easily told Jim that there was a future. A future that he can live in but a bit different. Suddenly the chime from the console brought him out of his thoughts.

"Transporter room," came the transporter technician on duty. "Mr Spock has returned."

"Doctor McCoy?" Kirk asked.

"Not there, captain," the transporter technician said.

"Captain, the doctor and I were separated," Spock said. "his communicator was destroyed during our run from the creatures."

Kirk had a heavy sigh.

"Security officers?" Kirk asked.

"They sacrificed their lives to slow down the creatures," Spock replied.

* * *

John rested in a small hole.

His back was pressed against the cold, icy wall.

Yet it was big enough for him to remain hidden from the wolves outside. There were mounds on the wall that could be climbed by a humanoid. He wore thick, warm gloves that he clasped together. John knew, reasonably, that he was somewhere below ground that still couldn't reach the surface. Preferably, he would want to be left behind. Those security officers died protecting him and Spock. John placed a hand on the side of his waist. The wound had healed as it had been made easily. Twenty minutes spent underground. Ten of those minutes spent investigating. Three minutes being tackled down by a lone icelike wolf and then losing interest after hitting the kill zones bite after bite and the human continuing to squirm screaming in pain. His neck had healed after being left behind. The wolves had smelled his blood. And they wanted to feast on it.

What a pain in the ass.

John's winter gear was compromised.

The heat was escaping from his body.

The chances of dying by the lack of heat was something he once explored with Dorian on a case.

Locked in a freezer _without_ Dorian.

They had a argument on that case and decided to explore different sides of the case. It was just a typical, run of the mill cases investigating why a woman was murdered thanks in part to her maid. Her maid was a DRN model and fixed most of the issues about the house. She preferred to call him a maid since he was so nice enough to make her something to eat when she offered to be helpful to him. Mostly the maid did that when he was working for her. John had thought that it was the maid. Dorian believed it was the ex-girlfriend who did the crime. During then, John had on only a jacket, a shirt, a secondary shirt with a zipper, his gun, pants, and boots to keep him warm. Getting tired and tired and tired as the cold slowly crept on him. Unlike then, he had his gloves on. He didn't need to rub his hands together repeatedly to warm himself up. He remembered painfully with detail the way he had been 'decomposing' in the cold with a new body part replacing it. The process repeating over and over until the warmth was becoming tempting. He was sure it was a hallucination but. . . the temptation was too strong.

Unlike this time, he might not have a rescue party looking for him.

Waiting until the wolves had dispersed to leave the cramped hole.

Was it time to leave the identity of Leonard McCoy behind? Not yet, too soon.

He wasn't ready to let go of Doctor McCoy.

And if there was anything to go by then there was Dorian going after him. A reliable companion.

The GPS tracker had to be getting frozen at this temperature. Wherever Dorian placed it, one day John was going to find out. Not today but maybe tomorrow or another day afterwards. Perhaps it was hidden somewhere in his back. The technology these days that had advanced for tracking would have the device too small to be felt visibly with a hand. Much like Dorian was a reliable companion as was the tracking device. John looked back at his debates with Spock and the way he looked at him was quite odd. As though he understood something clearer than before. Yet it was also a very fond one. A look of pity when knowing someone is cursed. Spock knew and Kirk did not. John closed his eyes as the smallest of a smile grew on his face. Spock wasn't going to tell Kirk any time soon. When John crossed paths with Spock again, he was going to ask him to stop looking at him that way. Spock would deny being emotional so this discussion would need to be held in private. John closed his eyes with the warmth tugging at him.

"John!"

John's mind began to emerge from the darkness.

"John?"

It was Dorian's voice.

"Johnnnnn!"

John's eyes slowly opened feeling himself completed covered in ice.

"Jooohn!"

Oh no, Dorian went alone.

"John, it's me, Dorian!"

Sort of difficult to reply when one is encased in ice.

"John!"

How could he hear Dorian's voice in ice?

"John!"

And Dorian likely disobeyed direct orders.

How long had John been inside this cramped hole?

The passage of time was tricky, and not just tricky, but unknown on this planet.

"John!"

John attempted to move in the ice.

His entire body felt as though it were freezing.

Unable to move which made any idea of escape only mute.

Frozen in a block of ice which wasn't much of comparison at all. How the ice had gathered around him was a mystery. Spock would capable of solving that mystery. This entire planet was unusual in on itself. There were weapons underground. A facility that looked as though it were a bunker at one point in time and used accordingly during war. The hole in the bunker had allowed in winter turning it from a warm environment into a cold hard one. John's eyes began to close. Felt like he was getting warmer when really he was getting colder. Theoretically, he would not die just remain in a form of stasis. A unique one at that. His body frozen just the way it was when he climbed in the hole to get away from the foxes. He should have used his phaser that much was evident. John's eyes closed as Dorian's call grew distant and a echo. At this rate, he was never going to find John searching in the direction of the crashed shuttle craft. No one really knows how much time passes while frozen.

The time between John's skin becoming coated in ice, becoming breakable, and being spotted cannot be measured by time.

It can be measured, however, by a lone synthetic android's efforts to find him.

Thud, his body fell to the floor.

"John, John, John," Dorian said, patting on John's exposed skin to begin the heating process. "John."

Dorian took his gloves off then placed his hands on the side of the man's cold face as his hands turned a shade of red.

"John," Dorian said. The layers of ice slowly faded away as he pressed his forehead against John's. The familiar skin, now tanned, became apparent. A pair of brown eyes fluttered open meeting Dorian's soft blue eyes. A relieved smile grew on the darker man's face. John tried to speak but nothing was coming out clearly.

"D-D-Dor. . . rian," John stuttered. "ah-but ty-m-"

Dorian placed a finger onto John's lips.

"As I told you before," Dorian said, slipping off a backpack. He placed it alongside John's slouched body. "I will _always_ find you, John."

 **The End.**

* * *

 **A/N** Thank you for being part of this wild ride. Thanks for sticking along from the beginning to the end that is not much of a end at all but a unique one at best. A abrupt ending, if you may call it. A story that you can continue in your mind. This story was a combination of Shatnoy, old married mcspirk, reaper!bones, and other random elements involving making up random alien species as I went and differentiating them. In the future, John and Dorian are together, eternally.

John makes the bittersweet choice of letting Sam go and helps her get chance at living one lifetime with Uhura. John stays immortal because Dorian. He doesn't want to leave Dorian alone out there alone. Kirk and Spock eventually get together. With the occasional hand courting from Spock on John and John being reluctant to reciprocate. John has so much angst. Dorian is okay with having a open marriage. John turns Spock down afterwards and finally introduces Dorian as his technically married forever with a bad lie but it passes. John watches the Enterprise family grow old and spread apart but always coming back together to save the federation, Starfleet, and the alpha quadrant. John ends up faking his death and Dorian takes care of the rest. Solkar's katra is eventually found in John's mind during the historic five year mission then taken into a Vulcan Receptacle thing in the new hall of thoughts.


End file.
